Trying to spend a million dollars — quietly — on consultants for a marketing campaign, as Santa Clara County’s Board of Supervisors tried to do this week, sends its own billboard-size message:

These guys have too much spending money.

Related Articles Editorial: Approve Measure T, preserve and protect open space

Editorial: Electing Allen and Wallace crucial for BART’s solvency

Editorial: Wei, Fruen would help chart a new course for Cupertino

Editorial: Keep experienced AC Transit leaders to handle COVID crisis

Editorial: Reelect Pilecki, Nejedly, Causey to standout sanitary board The contract was pulled Tuesday from the board’s “consent calendar,” a long list of items to be approved with a single vote and no public discussion. This happened after Mercury News columnist Scott Herhold, with merciless irony, noted the awkward convergence of the $1 million marketing allocation and revelations of the medical examiner’s office buying itself badges of silver and gold, three to seven times as expensive than the badges other sworn personnel wear proudly.

Maybe bling is part of the new county image.

Santa Clara County provides a wide range of critical services, from health care to jails to one of the best county park systems anywhere. Of course it should let people know what’s available to them for the taxes they pay. And it wouldn’t hurt to have something a little more up to date than the county seal to put on stationery, emails and ads — although we’re not sure you need to spend a million dollars for one.

All this revives a question we’ve had for some time, however: Why can’t a county with 20,000 employees and an ever-expanding herd of highly-paid top executives create a serious communications department capable of crafting a strategic marketing plan — and handling communication in general?

When the Valley Medical Center construction contract melted down, largely through the fault of county management, the county spent $95,000 on political consultants to deal with it — including putting out a dopey hit piece on the contractor. When a mentally ill inmate was murdered in the jail, the same consultants were hired for another $95,000 to help the sheriff communicate.

Why? The answer is always: Our communications people just don’t do that.

Maybe the county needs a department that does do that. Maybe a serious communications chief could help other departments get the word out about their services on an ongoing basis and adapt the message as times change.

San Jose has had its share of public mishaps over the years, but it’s never had to hire political consultants to frame a message.

In a column on this page, Board of Supervisors President Dave Cortese, County Executive Jeff Smith and County Counsel James Williams write about the challenge of defending Santa Clara County and others throughout the nation from Trump administration threats to punish them if they won’t help with immigration enforcement.

The county’s good work to reassure immigrant communities this year reflects residents’ values. But taxpayers also want to know their money is being spent prudently. Seeing even relatively small amounts being wasted — silver and gold badges? Really? — hint that perhaps other waste is out there, unnoticed.

What the county needs more than marketing is a good reality check. Maybe the right communications expert on staff could help with that, too.