Prompted by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office’s attempt to purchase 10 massage chairs, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution requiring quarterly reports for all county purchases over $100,000.

The new oversight measure, set to take effect in October, directs the procurement department to provide quarterly reports in two categories.

The first includes all county goods purchases exceeding $100,000 — including aggregated items, meaning multiple smaller purchases from the same vendor that together surpass the threshold. The second includes all noncompetitive purchases of goods or services over $10,000 that were not previously approved by the board.Competitive bidding involves soliciting multiple vendors to ensure the best value, while noncompetitive purchases are made directly from a single source, often in specialized or emergency situations.

The resolution aims to improve transparency and give the board — and the public — regular insight into high-cost or sole-source procurements, which do not typically require board approval unless a fund transfer is involved.

The move follows a public outcry earlier this year after the Sheriff’s Office requested the purchase of 10 massage chairs. Although the county’s Procurement Office ultimately declined the request, the incident underscored the need for greater board oversight of spending, according to Supervisor Jackie Speier, who sponsored the resolution.

“Earlier I referenced those 10 massage chairs that were requested by the Sheriff’s Office,” Speier said. “(The procurement office) declined to process that, but I think it’s important for us to be providing the oversight that we’re charged to do.”

Speier, a former Democratic U.S. representative, added that while the board might eventually consider increasing the reporting frequency, “right now we’re going to keep it simple.”

Board President David Canepa expressed concern about whether the new reporting requirements might slow down critical purchases.

“I do think that this is cumbersome, and I am concerned that when it comes to critical purchases that there may be a potential delay,” he said.

In response, Speier clarified that the reporting is retrospective and will not delay purchases in real time.

While procurement information is available on the government transparency site OpenGov, county staff acknowledged the data can be difficult to navigate. The new quarterly reports aim to make that information clearer and more accessible.

The resolution passed amid ongoing tensions between the board and Sheriff Christina Corpus, who is facing growing calls for removal over allegations of corruption, misconduct and workplace bullying.

The accusations were detailed in a 400-page independent report released last November by retired Judge LaDoris Cordell. Corpus has denied the accusations and assailed the report as biased and flawed.

In March, a special election was held to give the Board of Supervisors the authority to remove an elected sheriff by a four-fifths vote until 2028. The measure, known as Measure A, was approved by 84% of voters.

A new amendment to the San Mateo County Charter took effect in April, temporarily granting the Board of Supervisors that authority. Earlier this month, the board approved procedures that would allow it to remove a sheriff. County officials said once the process begins, it could take up to four months.

Although no agenda item addressed her possible removal Tuesday, Supervisor Ray Mueller, who has previously called for Corpus’ resignation, voiced frustration over the delay in initiating the process.

“Colleagues, I have been purposefully quiet since Measure A passed to avoid accusations of bias, but this morning I feel compelled to speak,” Mueller said. “I believe it is possible to be both time-efficient and fair. Fairness doesn’t just apply to the sheriff — it applies to those who work in the Sheriff’s Office and the residents of this county. It’s time for this board to move forward.”

Canepa said the board was taking its time to ensure a collaborative and fair process.

Corpus has pushed back against her critics. She filed a lawsuit against the county seeking documents related to the Cordell report and commissioned a separate review by retired Riverside County Superior Court Judge Burke E. Strunsky, who criticized the report’s heavy reliance on anonymous sources and unrecorded interviews, calling it impossible to properly assess witness credibility.

Tensions between Corpus and county leadership have simmered for months, with a slew of lawsuits and legal claims exchanged on both sides.

In September, Corpus filed a formal complaint accusing County Executive Mike Callagy of bullying and undermining her leadership.

On Wednesday, the county announced the investigation into that complaint has been completed.

The Board of Supervisors is set to meet this morning to decide whether to make the findings public.