The Northern Light: May 2-8, 2024 by Daffodil Press LLC

May 2 - 8, 2024

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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer

IN THIS

ISSUE

Fundraiser started after fatal car accident, page 2

Man sentenced for home invasion, page 5

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

Loretta Lynn and her singing sister, page 10

County council to investigate handling of sexual harassment complaints By Grace McCarthy

(See County, page 3) tjohnson;Seattle;Clean Air Comfort Systems;C33432;10x2-4c (24No)

s Blaine school board district 1 director Erika Creydt, c., speaks during the April 29 special meeting where the board unanimously approved a reduced educational program for the 2024-25 school year that would cut roughly 30 staff positions. Photo by Nolan Baker

School board approves $2.5 million staff cuts By Nolan Baker In a brief and tense April 29 special meeting of the Blaine school board at the district boardroom, the board unanimously approved its original plan of a $2.5 million budget reduction for the 2024-25 school year. The reduction will cut roughly 30 staff positions in the district, with 11 percent of administration, 12 percent of classified staff, and 11 percent of the teaching staff laid off. Some of the positions impacted by the budget cuts include a K-5 principal, multiple special education staff, 6-12th grade library tech support (the school district is without a full-time librarian) and multiple other administrative, certificated and classified staff positions. The board was originally slated to vote on the reduced education program at the regular April 22 meeting, but decided to delay the vote by a week to gather more information and hear alternative proposals from

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Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the classified staff union. The local SEIU chapter proposed eliminating five administrative positions (the maintenance and operations director, and four building/assistant principals) from the 2024-25 budget, reducing salaries for various other administrative positions, and reducing the number of contracted days for classified staff from 260 to 220 days to save the district nearly $1.9 million. In a letter addressed to the board, SEIU argued that this year’s proposed staffing cuts, combined with the over 50 positions cut in last year’s budget cuts, make for an unsustainable work environment for the remaining classified staff. “The overwhelming challenge for the staff who remain after a staffing reduction is the workload to support students and staff remains largely unchanged,” the letter read. “Unfortunately, the proposed staffing reductions directly impact the school support staff

and when considering the previous staffing reductions, is not sustainable to the workload and services our members provide to support (See School, page 7)

INSIDE

In a unanimous 7-0 vote, Whatcom County Council decided during an April 30 special meeting to hold an independent investigation into Whatcom County’s handling of sexual harassment reports involving former public works director Jon Hutchings. Details of what the investigation will look like are still unclear as council is expected to discuss the format during its next meeting on Tuesday, May 7. Hutchings complaints The special council meeting follows over a week of public scrutiny about the manner in which Whatcom County officials paid $225,000 last November in response to claims that Hutchings had sexually harassed a female employee for more than two years. Whatcom County’s response to the allegations and the settlement were revealed to the public and councilmembers alike in an investigative article published by Cascade PBS on April 19. Three female employees reported Hutchings had made sexual comments or touched them inappropriately at work. One woman, who was called “Wendy” in the article, reported her experience with Hutchings to then public works department assistant director Elizabeth Kosa in 2021. Kosa arranged a “counseling session” with Wendy, Hutchings and an unnamed “coach.” Wendy reported that Hutchings began excluding her from projects and treating her differently after the meeting. There was no follow up to her complaint until another employee came forward nearly a year later. Wendy reported that Hutchings would text her at all hours of the day about his personal life and she had to put up a “no hugs” sign on her desk after Hutchings repeatedly hugged her without permission. Wendy said she needed therapy and the nonstop texts caused so much stress she went to the emergency room several times for severe stomach pain, according to the Cascade PBS article. The county executive’s office was not made aware of the complaints until mid-October 2022 and placed Hutchings

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

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3/20/24 4:25 PM