A Novato man facing corruption charges has named a former Sonoma City employee in connection with selling used water meters from Sonoma and Sacramento.
Federal law enforcement officers announced Friday that Sheldon Morris, 76, a scrap metal dealer in Novato, had pleaded guilty to making unlawful bribes to municipal employees of both cities and admitted to making additional bribes to municipal employees of San Francisco.
In a plea agreement, Morris admitted to selling used water meters on behalf of Sonoma’s water department and claimed he maintained a portion of the proceeds in a “slush fund” later disbursed to the Sonoma Water Operations Supervisor (identified in the document as “Randall C.”). Until recently, Randall Cover was employed in that position. In addition, Morris claims to have sold parts and equipment to the department at the supervisor’s request and then sent him kickbacks. The document states that between 2002 and 2007, Morris gave Randall C. over $150,000.
Sonoma City Manager Linda Kelly declined comment on Monday, saying simply, “We are cooperating with federal investigators.”
