The Facts
The Record, The Investigation, The Truth
An independent investigation cleared Director April Chan of racial bias, violence, and misconduct. It also found that she was the one who received a threat of violence. Here are the facts, with sources.
April’s Record Speaks for Itself
Since January 2023, April Chan has been doing the job Ward 7 elected her to do:
- Stopped a quarry project that would have sent 100 trucks a day through Castro Valley for decades.
- Uncovered $279 million in budget transfers that happened without board knowledge — and pushed through the reforms to fix it.
- Held the line on a 6.5% rate cap to keep water affordable.
- Protected EBMUD reservoirs from invasive species threats.
- Showed up for constituents — from preventing a funeral-day water shutoff to getting a persistent leak repaired.
Why April Was Targeted
When you ask hard questions about how $279 million is being managed, not everyone is happy about it. When you stand with 1,500 of your neighbors to shut down a dumping project that the institution wanted to move forward, some people push back.
April knew that challenging the status quo would make her unpopular with some insiders. She did it anyway — because that’s what the voters of Ward 7 elected her to do.
What the Investigation Actually Found
In 2025, an independent investigation was conducted into an incident that occurred at EBMUD offices (as reported by Mercury News, June 10, 2025). Here are the facts:
Cleared of racial bias
The investigation found no evidence that April’s conduct was racially motivated. The central allegation against her was not sustained.
Cleared of violence
EBMUD’s own security investigation found that April did not act violently or make threats.
Cleared of misconduct
The investigation did not sustain charges of misconduct as defined by EBMUD policy.
Found to be the one threatened
The investigation determined that April was the individual who received a threat of violence — not the other way around.
The board took action related to interpersonal conduct with staff, directing April to attend training and coaching. April accepted those directives and has continued to serve her constituents without interruption.
Others Spoke Up Too
April wasn’t the only one who saw this situation clearly. At the April 8, 2025 EBMUD board meeting, attorney Vernon Goins addressed the board directly:
Goins called on the board to provide April with due process before taking any action: “A temporary removal is a removal, and Miss Chan deserves due process.”
Community member Evette Rivera also addressed the board independently, calling it “completely disgusting” that Board President Marguerite Young invoked the name of George Floyd “over a matter that involves a parking space.”
At the May 13, 2025 board meeting, community advocate Tuan Ngo spoke in support of Director Chan, challenging the board’s treatment of its only Asian American female director and calling for fairness in the process.
The independent investigation that followed confirmed what these speakers recognized from the start: there was no evidence of racial bias.
In Her Own Words
At the February 10, 2026 EBMUD Board meeting, April addressed the board and the public directly. She made clear that the investigation’s own findings determined she was the target of a threat of violence — not the aggressor. She called on the district to ensure that the public records supporting her account are accessible and visible to anyone searching for the facts.
She Kept Working
On the same day the board took its action, April introduced Motion No. 226-25 — the Recreational Boating Reopening Plan that protects EBMUD reservoirs from golden mussel contamination. She didn’t stop serving Ward 7 for a single day.
April believes the voters of Ward 7 elected her to fight for clean, affordable water — and that’s exactly what she’s going to keep doing.