Whatcom County Council is forming a committee to investigate sexual harassment complaints

By Nolan Baker

The Whatcom County Council formed a three-member investigative committee during its May 7 committee meeting to formally examine how the county handles sexual harassment claims and legal compensation.

Council members Ben Elenbaas, Todd Donovan and Council President Barry Buchanan were confirmed as members of the committee following self-nominations and a vote by the full council. Councilman Mark Stremler, who previously worked for the Whatcom County Public Works Department, also expressed interest in joining the committee.

The committee was formed in response to an April 19 Cascade PBS investigative article that revealed that former Public Works Director Jon Hutchings sexually harassed a female employee for more than two years and made sexual comments to other female employees had.

The article also revealed that a county employee received a $225,000 severance package without informing the county council, and that county executive Satpal Sidhu and deputy county executive Tyler Schroeder signed a highly laudatory “letter of introduction” for Hutchings in January 2023 that probably helped him get hired for his current position as public works director in Lynden.

On April 24, the Whatcom Democrats board released a letter publicly calling for Sidhu’s resignation. On April 30, after initially defending his letter of introduction, Sidhu sent a letter to the council calling its recommendation of Hutchings “inappropriate and misguided.”

Sidhu was present when the district council formed the inquiry committee and told the council that he would fully comply with the inquiry.

“I welcome the council to form this committee and I, my office and my records will fully assist you in every way,” Sidhu said. “You get full cooperation from management.”

Council member Kaylee Galloway suggested the county hire an outside attorney to conduct a third-party investigation. and not Assistant District Attorney George Roche, who worked for the county’s human resources department and handled the Hutchings incident.

Councilmember Elenbaas urged the committee to help ensure the county becomes a safer place for its employees and is not used for political purposes.

“I’m really interested in an outcome where all of our employees feel like they can buy into the system and the process to get to an outcome that doesn’t become a political sideshow,” Elenbaas said.

The first meeting of the investigative committee was scheduled for Friday, May 10th.