Ottawa County commissioners on Jan. 28 approved a settlement with former County Administrator John Gibbs that will rescind the county board’s decision to fire him one year ago.
On a 7-4 vote, the board approved a settlement that had been recommended by the Ottawa County Insurance Authority to pay Gibbs $190,000, an amount split into thirds – one-third for economic losses subject to taxes, one-third for non-economic losses and one-third to pay his attorney.
In addition, the county would rescind its February 2024 vote to fire Gibbs, remove any reference to the firing from his employment file and accept a letter of resignation that Gibbs wrote but never submitted to the board. In response, Gibbs would drop all claims against the county, including an appeal to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in which he claimed his First Amendment rights were being violated.
The board discussed the terms of the Gibbs settlement in open session, after a vote to move the matter into closed session failed.
“I believe there’s been enough secrecy about this topic, and it’s time to air it out … for me, transparency outweighs leverage,” board Vice Chairman Josh Brugger of Grand Haven said.
Debate over the settlement was heated. Commissioner Joe Moss of Hudsonville, who was board chairman when the vote to fire Gibbs took place, argued that the settlement should have gone back to the insurance authority for more discussion.
“I don’t think we’re at a place where the board should consider it yet, and I don’t think it should be considered in open session, and I think that it should go back for some more time,” Moss said.
Commissioner Jacob Bonnema of Zeeland shot back at Moss.
“We’re in this bad deal because of you, how you hired John Gibbs and also how you fired John Gibbs. We’re in this situation because of you,” Bonnema said.
A former candidate for Congress, Gibbs was hired as county administrator in January 2023, almost immediately after commissioners connected with the political action group Ottawa Impact gained a majority on the county board. Four current commissioners affiliated with OI – Moss, Kendra Wenzel, Allison Miedema and Sylvia Rhodea – voted against the settlement. Wenzel defended the board’s initial decision to fire Gibbs.
“The county has a strong case that can demonstrate his termination was justified,” Wenzel said. “A settlement, particularly one that erases the cause for his removal, allows him to escape accountability, while further burdening taxpayers who have already endured enough harm from his actions.”
However, board Chairman John Teeples said the potential losses for the county should Gibbs win any of his claims could cost the county way more than the settlement amount.
“It’s a way to stop this bleeding. It’s a time to acknowledge the mistakes that we have made … This is a way to cut losses and move ahead with the county,” Teeples said.
On a 7-4 vote, the board approved a settlement that had been recommended by the Ottawa County Insurance Authority to pay Gibbs $190,000, an amount split into thirds – one-third for economic losses subject to taxes, one-third for non-economic losses and one-third to pay his attorney.
In addition, the county would rescind its February 2024 vote to fire Gibbs, remove any reference to the firing from his employment file and accept a letter of resignation that Gibbs wrote but never submitted to the board. In response, Gibbs would drop all claims against the county, including an appeal to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in which he claimed his First Amendment rights were being violated.
The board discussed the terms of the Gibbs settlement in open session, after a vote to move the matter into closed session failed.
“I believe there’s been enough secrecy about this topic, and it’s time to air it out … for me, transparency outweighs leverage,” board Vice Chairman Josh Brugger of Grand Haven said.
Debate over the settlement was heated. Commissioner Joe Moss of Hudsonville, who was board chairman when the vote to fire Gibbs took place, argued that the settlement should have gone back to the insurance authority for more discussion.
“I don’t think we’re at a place where the board should consider it yet, and I don’t think it should be considered in open session, and I think that it should go back for some more time,” Moss said.
Commissioner Jacob Bonnema of Zeeland shot back at Moss.
“We’re in this bad deal because of you, how you hired John Gibbs and also how you fired John Gibbs. We’re in this situation because of you,” Bonnema said.
A former candidate for Congress, Gibbs was hired as county administrator in January 2023, almost immediately after commissioners connected with the political action group Ottawa Impact gained a majority on the county board. Four current commissioners affiliated with OI – Moss, Kendra Wenzel, Allison Miedema and Sylvia Rhodea – voted against the settlement. Wenzel defended the board’s initial decision to fire Gibbs.
“The county has a strong case that can demonstrate his termination was justified,” Wenzel said. “A settlement, particularly one that erases the cause for his removal, allows him to escape accountability, while further burdening taxpayers who have already endured enough harm from his actions.”
However, board Chairman John Teeples said the potential losses for the county should Gibbs win any of his claims could cost the county way more than the settlement amount.
“It’s a way to stop this bleeding. It’s a time to acknowledge the mistakes that we have made … This is a way to cut losses and move ahead with the county,” Teeples said.
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