Issuu

April 25 - May 1, 2024

FREE

Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer

IN THIS

ISSUE

Partial settlement in wrongful death lawsuit, page 2

Wrong turn leads to B.C. court, page 2

Bakker throws no-hitter, pages 6 and 7

PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230

Blaine school Blaine police chief sworn into office board delays vote on cuts By Nolan Baker

(See School, page 5) tjohnson;Seattle;Clean Air Comfort Systems;C33432;10x2-4c (24No)

s Mayor Mary Lou Steward, r., recites the official oath of office for Blaine police chief Rodger Funk during the Blaine City Council meeting on April 22. Funk, who spent nearly three decades at the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, had his first day as Blaine police chief on April 15. Read more city council news on page 5. Photo by Grace McCarthy

Whatcom County paid $225K to settle sexual harassment complaints Multiple women accused a public works director of inappropriate conduct. County executives agreed not to share the allegations. By Brandon Block, Crosscut.com Whatcom County officials paid $225,000 last November to settle claims that a former public works director sexually harassed a female employee for more than two years. Jon Hutchings resigned in lieu of termination in October 2022, just one day before a third-party investigator interviewed three female employees who reported Hutchings had made sexual comments to them or touched them inappropriately while at work. But county leaders never formally disciplined Hutchings or adjudicated the complaints. And they helped him get a new job, writing a favorable “letter of introduction.” “It has been a pleasure working with Jon and I am very confident that he will serve your organization well,” the letter concludes, signed by county executive Satpal Sidhu and deputy executive Tyler Schroeder. As part of the agreement of Hutchings’ departure, county leaders also agreed not

Receive up to $1,700 in rebates when you purchase the Ultimate Comfort System™*

The perfect pair for your air.

PLUS up to $2,600 in Federal Tax Credits^

to disclose information about his misconduct to future employers. Hutchings now runs the public works department for the city of Lynden. He did not respond to a request for an interview. Lynden’s city code requires department heads to be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. Mayor Scott Korthuis did not respond to multiple calls and emails, and city administrator John Williams declined to say how much they knew about Hutchings’ past behavior when the city hired him, referring to it as a “personnel matter.” Cascade PBS reached out to Sidhu, Schroeder, and current public works director Elizabeth Kosa, who served as assistant director before Hutchings resigned. None responded to interview requests for this story. Whatcom County spokesperson Jed Holmes wrote in an email to Cascade PBS that the county is committed to investigating allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior, but officials did not respond to de-

tailed questions about Hutchings’ departure. “[D]ue to this commitment to providing a safe, fair and respectful work environment,” (See Settlement, page 3)

INSIDE

In front of a standing-room only crowd inside the Blaine school district boardroom, the Blaine school board delayed its vote on a reduced education program for the 2024-25 school year by one week. The next special school board meeting will be held 7 p.m. Monday, April 29 at the district boardroom. The board was presented with a plan to reduce roughly 30 positions throughout the district, including a K-5 principal, four special education staff, and other positions. The proposed budget reduction would allow the district to avoid a $2.5 million deficit by reducing 11 percent of administration staff, 12 percent of classified staff, and 11 percent of teaching staff. Blaine school board members agreed to an extra week of time to meet with the various labor unions involved and find “creative solutions,” as newly-appointed member Ryan Swinburnson said during the meeting. “I want to be able to say, ‘This is why we had to cut the library staff person, this is why we had to cut special education,’ and I can’t answer those right now,” Swinburnson said. “I can’t answer why those cuts are the best cuts, and I think that’s what everybody deserves.” Various staff members spoke during the public comment period of the April 22 meeting on how last year’s staffing cuts impacted the district, how more cuts will increase the workload on remaining staff, and the negative impacts it will have on students. Carol Crauswell, a special education paraeducator at the high school, said cutting classified staff would lead to more stress, not only for the remaining classified staff, but for teachers as well. “I don’t see how cutting classified [staff] is going to make the classrooms any safer,” Crauswell said. “I see wonderful teachers throughout the day who are so stressed I just want to give them a hug – but you can’t keep going every day hugging the teachers.” Last year, the district eliminated 59.5 positions due to budget restraints, as reported previously by The Northern Light. Since then, voters approved a $7.5 million operations levy, which helped the district avoid even more dire financial straits, but cuts were still needed for the district to operate with a balanced budget. “There’s no fat left to trim after last year.

Coming Up . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . 11, 12 Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Sports . . . . . . . . 6, 7 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14

TheNorthernLight.com TheNorthernLight

@TNLreporter

ThisFLYERS Week’s

@TheNorthernLightNews

Timber Tree Service

OR Qualified buyers make no payments, incur no interest for 12 months when financing a new Lennox® system** $4,000 in utility rebates on qualifying equipment^^

www.CallCleanAir.com 360-398-9400

3/20/24 4:25 PM