Sheriff wanted massage chairs - Palo Alto Daily Post

[mnews]

A typical massage chair advertised on Amazon.com. The exact chairs the sheriff wanted isn't currently known.

San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus, who used tax funds to buy ice cream machines and a $74,000 conference room table, also tried to buy 10 massage chairs, a county supervisor says.

However, the county Procurement Office rejected her request, Supervisor Jackie Speier said at the county board of supervisors’ meeting on Tuesday.

Speier offered no details about the chairs, such as what they cost.

The chairs were mentioned during a discussion about spending $4.2 million in state funds to replace and upgrade two-way radios in the sheriff’s office. The supervisors approved the expenditure for the radio equipment.

But Speier, a former congresswoman, said she wanted “a wholesale look” into procurement procedures by all county departments.

Speier was also unhappy that Corpus, whom she had supported in the 2022 election, didn’t appear at Tuesday’s meeting to answer questions about the radio appropriation. Instead, Corpus sent Undersheriff Dan Perea to the meeting. Perea said he didn’t know much about the massage chairs or the radio expenditure.

Speier asked Perea if he was aware of the request for massage chairs, and he said, “Generally, yes.”

Speier: “And why was that contemplated?”

Perea: “I don’t have, I don’t think that I’m the best person to speak about the entire process and the thinking behind that. It’s part of officer wellness … as I understand that.”

Speier: “So you approved it.”

Perea: “I don’t think, I don’t believe that I was part of that process.” Speier went on to ask if the sheriff herself approved the request. Perea said he would get an answer and return to the supervisors. Speier said it would be helpful to hear from the sheriff herself.

Corpus, who rarely allows herself to be questioned by the press or in public settings, has previously drawn attention for her spending of tax funds.

In March, the Post reported that she purchased two soft-serve ice cream machines for employees in the county jails.

In January, the Post reported that she had purchased a $74,000 conference room table. The 22-foot by 10-foot table includes 12 “cooling fans” in the legs and 10 “lockable access doors.” At the time, County Supervisor David Canepa said it may be the most expensive table in the history of San Mateo County.

Tuesday’s discussion about the massage chairs comes as the supervisors prepare to vote on whether to fire Corpus for several reasons, including allegations of intimidation, retaliation, jailing a critic, racial and homophobic comments, dishonesty and conflicts of interest.