BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Whatcom County Council is holding a special meeting amid controversy over the county’s handling of sexual harassment allegations against a former employee.

The council is meeting at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30 to discuss “recent employment law decisions.”

It comes after a recent story by Crosscut.com that detailed reports of three different women being sexually harassed by Jon Hutchings between 2020 and 2022 while he served as director of Whatcom Public Works. The county ended up settling with one of the women for $225,000.

The story included that County Executive Satpal Sidhu wrote a favorable “letter of introduction” to help Hutchings get a new job as Lynden’s Public Works director.

Several members of the Whatcom County Council said they were left “in the dark” about the settlement.

Members of the public can join Tuesday’s meeting in person at 311 Grand Ave. or watch live via the county council’s website.