Ottawa County administrator denies making threatening, derogatory comments [Video]

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Ottawa County administrator is denying allegations that he made threats toward a county lawyer and derogatory comments about a commissioner, saying the claims put forth by the county’s attorney last week are “false.”

The board on Thursday placed Administrator John Gibbs on paid administrative leave. On Friday, Board of Commissioners Chair Joe Moss made public a letter outlining a number of complaints against Gibbs, namely the threats against county attorney Jack Jordan, derogatory comments with both sexual and religious connotations toward Commissioner Gretchen Cosby, that he created a hostile environment for his employees and that he had a poor working relationship with most of the commissioners.

Ottawa County Administrator Gibbs accused of threatening, disparaging comments

Gibbs’ attorney Noah Hurwitz on Tuesday sent News 8 their response (PDF) to those allegations, roundly rejecting them.

“Mr. Gibbs never threatened to physically harm Jack Jordan or anyone else,” the response reads. “Mr. Gibbs has not made sexual comments about Gretchen Cosby.”

The document attributes such comments about …