YUBA COUNTY, CA (MPG) - At a Dec. 23 special meeting of the Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors, the board issued a resolution of censure for Director Seth Fuhrer, who was also recently censured by the Yuba County Board of Supervisors for inappropriate workplace conduct. Because Fuhrer is the 3rd District Supervisor for Yuba County, he automatically serves as a Yuba Water Agency board member.

A censure is a public reprimand of an elected official.  

At the county’s special board meeting on Dec. 19, the Board of Supervisors received a summary of findings from an independent investigation that followed complaints from county staff and partnering agencies, claiming that Fuhrer engaged in inappropriate workplace conduct related to his duties as a member of the Board of Supervisors. 

The county’s independent investigator described several complaints of unwelcome physical conduct, inappropriate verbal comments and unprofessional behavior by Fuhrer while representing the county.  The investigator found based on witness statements it was more likely than not the complaints against Fuhrer were true. 

To clarify that the inappropriate conduct by Fuhrer that led to the county censure is also not appropriate at Yuba Water, the board of directors followed the county's lead in adopting a resolution censuring Fuhrer. The board also approved several remedial measures that mirror the measures adopted by the county. They include: 

When representing the agency, Fuhrer must treat all people equally with courtesy and impartiality, and that his conduct should protect and enhance the agency’s reputation.

Agency policy prohibits Fuhrer from harassing or retaliating against agency employees. 

The Board of Directors censures and expresses its disapproval regarding Fuhrer’s sustained inappropriate conduct as found in the above-referenced investigation. 

Director Fuhrer is not authorized to represent the agency at any event, except where legally required by his official duties commencing immediately through Dec. 31, 2025. This does not apply to attendance at meetings of the Board of Directors or its committees. The Board of Directors chair can grant exceptions to this rule in the chair’s discretion. 

Consistent with the board-adopted Board-Staff Interaction Policy, Director Fuhrer must direct all communications about agency business to the general manager or the general counsel as appropriate and not to other agency staff members. 

Fuhrer must comply with the agency’s mandatory sexual harassment-prevention training policies. 

Agency staff shall prepare a draft Code of Conduct for agency directors and to present the draft to the Board of Directors for consideration at a future meeting.

The general manager is authorized to take all necessary or appropriate measures to ensure that all agency employees are free from harassment and retaliation as required by the law and agency policy.

“I am hopeful that with this action today, we can begin to put all of this behind us,” said Jon Messick, chair of the Yuba Water board. “We take complaints of this nature seriously and we want to ensure our employees feel comfortable in their work environments and know that they can report complaints without fear of retaliation. Our words matter, and I think this reminds us all that we need to represent Yuba Water in the best manner possible, to our employees, to the public and to our constituents that have trusted us to shine a positive light on the agency and the county.” 

The vote was 6-1, with director Fuhrer voting no.