Sidhu rejects Whatcom Democrats’ call for resignation over sexual harassment settlement

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Leaders of Whatcom County’s Democratic Party are asking County Executive Satpal Sidhu to resign in the wake of revelations that he allowed the former manager of the Public Works Department to quit his job amid sexual harassment allegations and helped him get new employment.

In a statement Thursday to The Bellingham Herald, Sidhu rejected the Democrats’ demand and cited errors in their claims.

“I welcome calls for more clarity and transparency around this situation, and if the County Council wants to conduct an inquiry, bring more light to the situation and assess the facts, I will fully support that. However, I have no intention of resigning in response to the Whatcom Democrats’ Executive Board’s letter, which is based on incomplete information and misrepresentation of the facts,” Sidhu said.

Sidhu was traveling Thursday on official business and unavailable for additional comment, according to his spokesman, Jed Holmes.

The controversy revolves around the October 2022 departure of Public Works Director Jon Hutchings, who resigned before a workplace investigation of sexual harassment allegations was complete, an incident that was detailed in a report last week by the nonprofit newsroom Cascade PBS.

Sidhu took responsibility for handling of the incident in a letter to the County Council sent Tuesday and shared with The Herald. County Council members were not briefed on the situation and weren’t aware of a $225,000 settlement awarded to an employee who reported inappropriate and unwanted comments and physical contact from Hutchings.

Following Hutchings’ resignation, Sidhu provided a “letter of introduction” that allowed Hutchings to become Public Works director for the city of Lynden.

In a strongly worded letter that was shared with The Herald on Wednesday night, the Whatcom Democrats Executive Board said Sidhu should step down and that Hutchings’ victims deserve an apology.

“We find these actions indefensible. The county executive still acknowledges no fault on his part. The executive — who signed the key documents — was an active participant in covering up sexual harassment of employees. He is unwilling to acknowledge his own responsibility in hiding harassment and in moving a known sexual harasser to a different management job. This undermines trust in his ability to ensure the level of change needed to prevent this from happening in the future,” the Democrats’ letter said.

“We invite Democratic elected officials to weigh conscience and basic values against party loyalty and political expediency and join us in calling for a resignation,” the letter said.

Sidhu, an engineer who also runs a small business with his wife, was elected in 2019 to the nonpartisan post of county executive by a margin of 51% to 49% over businessman Tony Larson. He immediately faced the twin challenges of widespread Nooksack River flooding and local response to a worldwide pandemic, followed by a second and more devastating flood in 2021.

In 2023, Sidhu defeated businessman Dan Purdy by 58% to 42%. Both times, Sidhu embraced his Democratic ideals and earned the local party’s endorsement.

A Canadian immigrant and native of India, Sidhu is the first person of color to hold the county’s highest elected position and is among a handful of Sikh elected officials nationwide.

Holmes told The Herald that the Democrats’ statement erred in the timeline of events and in other claims.

Sidhu first learned of the harassment claims in October 2022, Holmes said.

“In 2021, one individual shared their concerns about unwelcome conduct, but the individuals who were aware of situation failed to follow harassment reporting policy and share this information with their superiors. The executive was not informed and could not act on this information in 2021,” Holmes said.

“With respect to the settlement, the county executive is not involved in negotiating or approving settlements. The county executive does not have authority to pay out of the Tort Fund. The County Prosecutor’s Office represents the county on legal issues. For claims covered by the Washington Counties Risk Pool, which this claim was, settlement decisions are made by the Risk Pool with legal advice from the County Prosecutor’s Office. Nowhere in County Code is the responsibility of informing Council about settlements placed on the County Executive,” Holmes said.

“With respect to the letter of introduction, that was a difficult decision for (Sidhu), but he felt that Mr. Hutchings had faced the serious consequence of losing his job. (Sidhu) believes that people can redeem themselves,” Holmes said.