You Can’t Afford More $6 Million Mistakes from Joe Sheehan

Joe Sheehan failed to lead the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) in negotiations with Aurora Hospital on the Field of Dreams sale in an ethical manner. Sheehan was sued by a group, and the SASD paid more than $30,000 in a settlement due to violations of laws, but more importantly, violations of the trust of Sheboygan residents.

https://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/news/2016/05/10/sheboygan-schools-settle-field-dreams-suit/84210214/

The real costs of Sheehan’s unethical and shady dealings were to you, the taxpayer. The Sheboygan Press was quoted as saying the Field of Dreams sale would have “marked a more-than $6 million windfall for the district.”

You hear the SASD talk of funding challenges. Would $6 million have made a positive impact?

https://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/news/2017/04/11/aurora-plans-hospital-kohler/100352312/

A group of residents were forced to sue Sheehan and the SASD for secret meetings that took place over a period of two years. Sheehan was crafting a sale of the Field of Dreams site behind closed doors and without any notice to the public.

When these shady dealings came to light and it was announced that Aurora was interested in buying the site, there was massive public outcry. This included the lawsuit. Eventually, Aurora pulled out of the deal and reached an agreement to build the new hospital on land owned by Kohler Co.

There were additional costs. Aurora was going to renovate and build new athletic facilities for the kids of Sheboygan. The Butzen Farm site was going to become a marquee athletic facility. Soccer fields would have been built to host major youth tournaments. This would have brought significant economic impact to Sheboygan, with families coming here for tournaments.

The children of Sheboygan would have had top-notch facilities. However, due to Sheehan’s shady and unethical practices, no game has yet been played on the Butzen Farm property.

Why did Sheehan negotiate behind closed doors with Aurora?

What was his motivation to violate open meeting laws?

Part of the settlement required SASD leadership, including Sheehan, had to attend training on open meeting laws. After attending the training, Sheehan was quoted in the Sheboygan Press saying, “Did we learn anything new? Not necessarily.”

This was after Sheehan was ordered by a judge to attend training due to violating open meeting laws.

If Sheehan did not learn anything new, did this mean he knowingly violated open meeting laws when dealing with Aurora behind closed doors?

Sheehan referred to the training as a “refresher.” This brazen disregard for violating open meeting laws is concerning.

https://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/news/2016/07/13/sasd-board-attends-open-meetings-workshop/87030820/

Sheehan cites on his website for his campaign for state assembly, “We are in this together.” He emphasizes the word “WE” and the “WE mentality” in ads.

Where was the “WE” when he violated open meeting laws to negotiate with Aurora? As a taxpayer, were you a part of Joe Sheehan’s “WE”?

Sheehan’s actions don’t show the same commitment to WE as his words!

This blatant disregard for ethics, integrity, and including the public in decision-making is enough to cause concern with Sheehan as a candidate for the assembly.

Do you want another $6 million mistake from Joe Sheehan in Madison?