Gibbs fires back against allegations, says staffers 'fabricated' claims

OTTAWA COUNTY — As one case closes, another ramps up.

Ottawa County's now-embattled administrator is firing back, in response to a slew of serious allegations made last week by the board of commissioners.

The response from John Gibbs includes a new series of accusations between once staunch allies, including against his own right-hand Benjamin Wetmore and aide Jordan Epperson.

More: A year after the Ottawa Impact controversy, here's what the commissioners accomplished

During a special meeting Feb. 22, commissioners voted to place Gibbs on paid administrative leave after spending time in closed session "considering new complaints" against him. The next day, Board Chair Joe Moss made those allegations public.

"Transparency and accountability are hallmarks of representational government in America," Moss wrote. "I am sharing this letter with you in that spirit. The board will meet again next week to consider this matter. I will share more information as I am able."

Gibbs' attorney Noah Hurwitz released his client's responses to the allegations Tuesday, categorically denying any wrongdoing.

"(Moss is) waging a public war against a county administrator who he hired, all because John Gibbs would not be his puppet," Hurwitz told The Sentinel via email Friday, Feb. 23.

The allegations against Gibbs include disparaging comments about female members of the board, derogatory comments about commissioners' faith, and threats of violence against county attorney Jack Jordan. The complaints were summarized in a report compiled by outside legal counsel Brook J. Bisonet, who was hired Feb. 13.

Although the names of the employees who made the allegations weren't released, a source close to the matter confirmed to The Sentinel they are Gibbs' Executive Aide Jordan Epperson and Deputy Administrator Benjamin Wetmore.

Gibbs seemingly confirmed Tuesday the allegations were made by his own staffers, and argued they were the ones making inappropriate comments and failing to do their jobs.

"Mr. Gibbs has criticized public officials for acts that are unbecoming, but has not made sexual comments about Commissioner Cosby. In fact, it was Jordan Epperson and Ben Wetmore who made comments regarding the fidelity of nurses," Gibbs said in response to an allegation of sexual/defamatory comments.

Gibbs admitted he approached Epperson and Wetmore — whom he hired in August and November, respectively — to potentially resign in solidarity with him after complaints about Kallman Legal Group went unaddressed.

"Mr. Gibbs felt these individuals should resign their positions in protest of government abuses, but instead they fabricated allegations against Mr. Gibbs to further their careers," Hurwitz wrote.

Gibbs said Epperson and Wetmore "failed to perform their job duties consistently, which was discussed in performance evaluations."

Epperson denies Gibbs' claims.

“This is completely false," he wrote via email to The Sentinel on Tuesday. "Outrageous and defamatory comments made by Mr. Gibbs are easily disprovable."

Wetmore did not respond to The Sentinel's request for comment.

Gibbs also denied an allegation Wetmore made that he wanted to "beat Jack Jordan to death" and said a failed policy that would've subsidized county employees' concealed carry permits was attributable to Epperson and Wetmore, not him.

"This idea did not originate from Mr. Gibbs, but came from ... Epperson and Wetmore, who suggested the idea to Mr. Gibbs," Hurwitz wrote. "Legal counsel then failed to timely review the initiative."

Gibbs said claims that he asked staffers for "bug sweeps" were greatly exaggerated.

"Bug sweeping is a standard practice in government work, and Mr. Gibbs hired a qualified business to perform this security measure on one occasion," Hurwitz wrote. "Mr. Gibbs has never utilized a hidden camera, but instead recorded meetings with a computer-based webcam so that conversations of significance would not be mischaracterized by disgruntled county employees and politicians."

Gibbs has seen a tumultuous tenure in the year he's been employed with Ottawa County.

In March 2023, Commissioner Jacob Bonnema — who ran for election with Ottawa Impact, but left the group in March — filed a complaint against Gibbs following a verbal altercation. After an investigation by an outside legal firm, the county's HR department concluded there wasn't enough evidence to support the claim.

Later, the hirings of Epperson and Wetmore sparked their own controversies.

After hiring Epperson in August, Gibbs was accused of age discrimination after a more qualified finalist for the position went unselected. That finalist, Ryan Kimball, filed a lawsuit against Gibbs and Ottawa County in October.

In his interview for the aide position, Epperson allegedly told the county's hiring committee he believes ethics “depend on who you’re working for” and said government positions like his are “absolutely” political, according to former Deputy Administrator Patrick Waterman.

Waterman also said Epperson refused to shake hands with the women on the interviewing committee. Waterman resigned in July, citing a strained working relationship with Gibbs and a "lack of effective leadership" on the board.

In November, the county announced the hiring of Wetmore, who has an extensive history in conservative political activism and has taken part in several political stunts over the past 20 years, including staging undercover encounters on video for right-wing nonprofit Project Veritas.

Wetmore recently made headlines for a 2010 plot to lure a female CNN reporter onto a boat where another conservative activist planned to faux-seduce her on camera.

Hurwitz told The Sentinel on Friday the two staffers intentionally manufactured the allegations to discredit Gibbs.

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"Mr. Moss publicly released a number of statements cloaked in anonymity that were obtained solely for the purpose of undermining Mr. Gibbs’ whistleblower activities," Hurwitz said.

"The timeline is simple. Mr. Gibbs brought his concerns (about Kallman Legal Group) to the (board) and only then did Mr. Moss start gathering dirt."

The next board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29.

— Sarah Leach is executive editor for The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @SentinelLeach.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Gibbs fires back against allegations, says staffers 'fabricated' claims