Marin County Allocates Over $1M for Workplace Investigations

This blog post unpacks the Marin County Board of Supervisors’ recent move to approve six outside firms for workplace investigations through June 30, 2027. We’ll cover what these contracts include, how the county plans to pay for them, and what all this means for Marin County towns—from San Rafael to Sausalito, Mill Valley to Novato.

Let’s also touch on the bigger conversation about employee relations in Marin County government. There’s a lot more going on here than just paperwork and signatures.

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Table of Contents

What the contracts cover and why Marin County is increasing external investigations

County leaders in San Rafael, Tiburon, and nearby towns say these fee-for-service agreements aim to bring more accountability and consistency to workplace conduct investigations. There’s no minimum spend locked in; if the county doesn’t use the firms, it simply doesn’t pay.

County Executive Derek Johnson described this as a proactive shift for employee relations across Marin’s agencies. It’s not just about reacting to problems—it’s about setting a higher bar before issues spiral.

The six outside firms can handle investigations into discrimination, retaliation, and other workplace concerns in Marin County departments. These contracts run through June 30, 2027, showing a long-term commitment to outside expertise in places like San Anselmo, Fairfax, and Ross.

The county’s use of investigative consultants has grown over time. In the past eight years, Marin has spent millions across departments in Larkspur, Corte Madera, and Marin City.

Firms at a glance and the financial move

Van Dermyden Makus Investigations — maximum increased from $300,000 to $450,000. Marin City and San Rafael officials say this matches a wider push for thorough external review.
Oppenheimer Investigations Group — cap raised from $300,000 to $400,000. This echoes Marin County’s focus on robust investigations, especially in Mill Valley and Novato.
Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo Law Corp. — new contract authorized up to $300,000. This brings in a legal firm to help with administrative and legal sides of investigations in Corte Madera, San Anselmo, and Sausalito.
Other participating firms — the group also includes firms whose maximums were adjusted in earlier years (like the September 2025 amendments). Their work backs Marin’s push for transparent employee relations in Tiburon, Fairfax, and Ross.

County managers look at the bigger picture: Marin has spent about $2.69 million on investigative consultants over the last eight years. That’s a clear sign the county wants more outside expertise to support in-house staff in San Rafael and beyond.

National context matters too. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported 88,531 new discrimination charges in Fiscal Year 2024, up 9.2%. Federal filings for employment discrimination topped 20,000 in 2025.

In Marin, these trends show up alongside high-profile local issues in cities like Sausalito and Novato. Community members and employees expect real accountability and fair processes in public employment—anything less just won’t cut it.

Local cases and Marin’s ongoing conversation about accountability

Marin’s recent history includes a 2024 lawsuit tied to former Public Works Director Rosemarie Gaglione. The county settled it for $210,000.

The county also won a 2026 federal ruling in a retaliation suit filed by former assistant district attorney Otis Bruce Jr.. That decision referenced investigations by Oppenheimer and pointed to internal complaints from nine prosecutors about alleged inappropriate and disparaging conduct.

These cases highlight why Marin County seats—San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, and the nearby towns—keep pushing for strong, outside-reviewed processes when it comes to workplace concerns. It’s not hard to see why people want more than just an internal memo when something goes wrong.

For folks in San Anselmo, Larkspur, Corte Madera, and Ross, these contracts show a real investment in professional reviews that support fair governance. Officials in Tiburon and Sausalito think these arrangements help reinforce trust in public institutions.

They want to make sure discipline and corrective actions, if needed, come from careful, independent investigation—not just a quick, informal decision. That’s the hope, anyway.

With Marin County working to balance its budget and keep its reputation steady, the six-investigation framework—driven by the latest increases for Van Dermyden Makus and Oppenheimer, plus the new agreement with Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo—has people watching closely from El Cerrito to the Bayview edge of San Rafael. There’s a lot riding on transparency and accountability here, and the county seems to believe that independent reviews are key to keeping public trust in San Rafael, Novato, and all across Marin County.

Here is the source article for this story: Marin County allocates over $1 million for workplace investigations

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Joe Harris is the founder of MarinCountyVisitor.com, a comprehensive online resource inspired by his passion for Marin County's natural beauty, diverse communities, and rich cultural offerings. Combining his love for exploration with his intimate local knowledge, Joe curates an authentic guide to the area featuring guides on Marin County Cities, Things to Do, and Places to Stay. Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.