WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A former Whatcom County councilmember is speaking out about her role in a scandal embroiling a former Public Works director.

Cascadia Daily News reports that Kathy Kershner confirmed that she wrote a “glowing letter of reference” for John Hutchings. Hutchings served at the Director of Public Works for Whatcom County from May of 2015 until Dec. of 2022.

A recent story by Crosscut.com detailed reports of three different women being sexually harassed by 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, which the county council was not told about.

Word of Kershner’s involvement comes after County Executive Satpal Sidhu came under fire for a favorable letter he signed to help get Hutchings get a new job as Lynden’s Public Works Director.

Deputy Executive Tyler Schroeder told CDN that Hutchings sent the pre-written letter to him in January 2023 and asked Sidhu to sign it.

Schroeder and Sidhu reportedly “tweaked the wording” before signing it, which Schroeder now calls “a mistake.”

The county council plans to pick three of its members for an investigative committee to review the employment decisions made by the county at its meeting on Tuesday, May 7.