The tenure of Mayor Ryan Sorenson has been defined by aligning Sheboygan to his personal political agenda rather than preserving the traditional values and perspectives this city has upheld for years.
Toward the end of 2022, Sheboygan was searching for a new Director of Human Resources. The hiring process occurred while the then City Administrator Todd Wolf was on leave, and the new H.R. Director started shortly after City Administrator Todd Wolf was terminated without cause.
This process resulted in Adam Westbrook’s hiring as Sheboygan’s H.R. Director. Westbrook pled guilty to sex crimes against his adopted children and is currently awaiting sentencing in federal court. His tenure in Sheboygan was marked by significant turnover among city employees, terminations that led to lawsuits, and filings with the Department of Workforce Development. A documented culture of fear, intimidation, and retaliation has been featured on this site.
In his resignation letter, Westbrook wrote,
“I understood there was a need for significant cultural growth and change, and I willingly accepted the responsibilities of being a conduit for such change.”
When Westbrook was hired, the hiring committee was assembled by Mayor Sorenson.
City Attorney Chuck Adams—who knew Westbrook before his arrival in Sheboygan—was involved in the process. Adams’ communication with Westbrook during the hiring process revealed questionable intent:
Adams even assured Westbrook he would “do what he could” to help him secure the position.
It was shocking one key city official was excluded from the hiring process: Alder Trey Mitchell, Director of the Finance and Personnel Committee, was not included on the hiring committee.
Why was Alder Mitchell left off the hiring committee?
Westbrook was hired under the belief that he would lead major cultural change. To illustrate, here’s a video Westbrook sent to all city employees outlining his change initiative:
https://vimeo.com/801787042
Have you ever received a video like this from your director of H.R.?This video is a prime example of city employees’ experiences under Westbrook and Sorenson’s leadership.
Westbrook, emboldened by Mayor Sorenson, pursued changes aligned with their personal political agenda—an agenda that did not reflect the desires of Sheboygan’s broader community.
The Absence of Community Consensus
This became evident during last year’s Common Council elections, where DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives were noticeably absent from discussion. The message from Sheboygan’s residents was clear: Mayor Sorenson and Westbrook’s version of DEI was unwelcome.
Their version of “change” went so far as to mock the faith of some Sheboygan residents, as evidenced in this photo:
A Shift in Sorenson’s Messaging
Mayor Sorenson has since abandoned his DEI focus. In a July 2023 fundraising email, Sorenson sought donations by touting his accomplishments of:
- Flying the Pride Flag at City Hall
- Banning conversion therapy in Sheboygan
Yet today, Mayor Sorenson emphasizes historic investments in road repair and development, distancing himself from these earlier initiatives.
Why the sudden shift?
The Bigger Picture
Mayor Sorenson appears to chase after the latest political trends driven by larger liberal organizations—often with little regard for Sheboygan’s real needs and values.
In the next post, we’ll reveal where this “change” is truly coming from—and the answers may surprise you.
As always, when you follow the money, you uncover the forces behind Mayor Sorenson’s decisions and the changes he’s attempting to impose on Sheboygan.
Stay tuned…
Oh, it’s been 180 days since Mayor Sorenson ignored a resident’s request for records involving Preston Kite—convicted of nearly 20 counts of sex crimes against children and animals.
Kite was ordered to not have contact with animals, for the safety of the animals.
Why won’t Sorenson respond?
Take Back Sheboygan County knows that many former and current City employees have been reluctant to share their stories for fear of retaliation. If you are one of these, we welcome you to contact us. Your name will not be shared without permission. You can contact us at https://takebacksheboygancounty.com/contact/.
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