Complaint Focus on Waste of Taxpayer by Money County Executive Officer Jeff Van Wagenen

An amended complaint has been filed in Riverside County Superior Court that lays out the waste of taxpayer money County Executive Officer Jeff Van Wagenen authorized in 1) approving the $2.45 million “boondoggle” consulting contract with a Texas-based company and 2) the appointment of Erin Gettis as Director of Animal Services (she was removed from her position two weeks after the filing of the original complaint) though she did not meet even the minimum stated education and experience qualifications for the job., according to the complaint.

The key paragraphs relating to the consulting contract with Kristen Hassen’s Texas-based Outcome for Pets Consulting, LLC, are 36 to 46, from pages 12 to 16.  The complaint lays out why this consulting contract was not just wasteful, but illegal:

Van Wagenen framed it as a “sole source” contract.  Under the Riverside County Municipal Ordinance 459, a sole source contract requires an emergency (protection of life or property from a substantial hazard, or an event that threatens the continued operation of a county function).  But, Van Wagenen in his written explanation for the “sole source” contract never stated it was an emergency or that animal services would shut down unless the Hassen contract was approved.  In fact, he simply stated it was needed so an “evaluation” and creation of a “strategic plan” for animal services could be done.  This lengthy 26-month consulting contract was anything but an emergency.

To do business with the County, a vendor must be registered in good standing with the County.  Hassen’s Texas-based company was not even registered with the State of California until March 26, 2026.

In sum, the contract was illegal under the municipal ordinance, and Van Wagenen concealed that from the County Purchasing Agent and the Board of Supervisors in seeking approval.
The Complaint asks that Van Wagenen pay back all the money paid to Hassen to the County and its taxpayers.

The amended complaint (para. 64, et seq., at page 23) also lays out that the appointment of Gettis by Van Wagenen was illegal since she met neither the education nor the experience minimum requirements for the position (her degrees in architecture were far afield of the required experience in animal care and shelter management), and hiring someone who does not meet the stated qualifications for the position violates the County’s rule that appointments must be based on “merit and ability.”

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