The Common Council meeting on March 18 was pivotal in deciding who would fill the vacant seat created by Amanda Salazar’s resignation. However, the meeting could not start on time because there were not enough alders showing up to form a quorum.
Mayor Sorenson has failed to lead his Council in showing up for meetings.
The most shocking absences were those of Alders Barb Ackley and Angela Ramey. Alder Barb Felde, who was supposed to sign on virtually, was not present at the start.
These three alders, who failed to appear, are known to be loyal to Mayor Sorenson except in their most basic duty—showing up to conduct the business of the City of Sheboygan.
The meeting was delayed eight minutes due to a lack of quorum.
Approximately two minutes in, City Attorney Adams can be heard stating that there is a council provision and an ordinance allowing the Chief of police to find the missing alders. Mayor Sorenson asks what provision before the microphones are shut off.
City Attorney Adams was suggesting to Mayor Sorenson that the Chief of Police could physically locate the absent alders and bring them to City Hall for the meeting.
Mayor Sorenson nearly had to resort to using the power of the police chief just to get his alders to show up!
Witness the discomfort of eight minutes, which feels like an eternity, as you watch your mayor fail you as a resident of Sheboygan.
Although Alder Felde eventually logged on remotely, this incident raises concerns about her attendance and capability to serve.
Alder Felde has a troubling attendance record for Common Council meetings.
Out of the last 15 meetings, she has been absent eight times.
She logged in remotely for five of them and was physically present only twice.
Felde does not show up to serve you!
Could you show up less than half the time to your job?
Felde’s committee attendance record highlights her failure to serve her residents and the city of Sheboygan.
She has missed 70% of the last 10 Licensing, Hearings, and Public Safety Committee meetings, where she serves as Vice Chair.
Felde has not attended the last seven Finance and Personnel Committee meetings.
This is not acceptable.
The residents of District 1 deserve an alder who will show up.
The City of Sheboygan deserves an alder who is present for two essential committees.
Barb Felde is failing the residents of District 1 and Sheboygan.
The responsibility to address this lies with the Council leadership.
Mayor Sorenson and Council President Dean Dekker must act and provide the leadership needed to correct Barb Felde’s massive failure as an alder!
If Dean Dekker took his role as Council President as seriously as he defended former H.R. Director Adam Westbrook, who is facing federal charges for sex crimes against children, he would initiate the replacement of Felde immediately.
Mayor Sorenson, as the presiding member of the Common Council, is responsible for leading the Council.
But…
He cannot even ensure the alders show up!
If Mayor Sorenson cannot lead the Council, how can he lead Sheboygan?
If you are a District 1 resident, you must demand more from your alder.
If you live in Sheboygan, you must insist on a full council representing you.
This is an issue for the entire city!
Email Council President Dean Dekker and Mayor Sorenson to demand that they lead and remove Alder Felde immediately for her failure to meet the obligations of her position.
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
TBS has been reflecting on the moral ineptitude of the local leadership, driven by the local Democratic Party. This came full circle yesterday with a high-level Democratic operative being officially charged with election fraud.
That’s right—election fraud right here in Sheboygan, in the most basic form of our democracy, for a seat on your Common Council.
A theft of a political opponent’s election literature.
An act of election fraud recorded on camera—a suspect who admitted to stealing a political opponent’s literature.
Something that is so fundamentally wrong it should be assumed everyone can agree on this.
That assumption has been proven false.
Local Democratic supporters denounced the story’s relevance. Some suggested on social media that the theft was a kind act by Deb Klock because it prevented the candidate from committing a federal crime by placing election materials in a mailbox.
An extensive police investigation uncovered only one crime: election fraud by a member of the local Democratic Party in coordination with Alder Zach Rust’s re-election campaign.
It seems like an easy political opportunity to own the mistake and apologize.
Far from it, Zach Rust, who is running for re-election and was questioned in the criminal investigation, has neither apologized nor acknowledged his campaign’s mistakes.
A local Democratic Party activist’s account on X, GoSheboygan, referred to individuals and the Sheboygan Police Department as a “bunch of retards.”
A local political activist, identifying as Blossom on X, “liked” the tweet.
The term “retard” is considered outdated and offensive. It is a hurtful word that diminishes people with disabilities. It is regarded as hate speech. A campaign called “Spread the Word to End the Word” raises awareness of the need to eliminate this term.
Yet, local Democratic Party activists have used and “liked” the term.
Candidate Roberta Filicky-Peneski, running for re-election for the 2nd District seat on the Common Council, was recorded using the N-word.
She has not acknowledged her mistake or apologized during this campaign, stating instead that she was in the comfort of her own home and recorded without her knowledge.
People show their true selves in the safety of their homes. When someone like Filicky-Peneski tells you who they are, believe them.
City Attorney Chuck Adams ardently defended former Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook, who has since been charged in federal court with sex crimes against children.
None of them, nor anyone else from the City of Sheboygan, has denounced Adam Westbrook’s actions.
Mayor Sorenson appeared in a photo that mocked the Catholic faith. There were concerns about religious discrimination. Sorenson removed a citizen complaint from a Common Council agenda, effectively silencing the community.
Mayor Sorenson could have simply acknowledged the feelings of others and apologized for making city employees and residents feel small by apologizing for minimalizing the religious beliefs of residents and employees.
Co-chair of the local Democratic Party, Mary Lynne Donohue, described herself as the chair of a social justice project and encouraged DEIB work in city government.
Donohue is on record at a school board meeting referring to the “growth formula” of the state report card as an intergalactic formula that nobody can understand.
The formula, a DEIB initiative, gives schools credit for increasing achievement among traditionally underperforming groups: kids of color, kids living in poverty, and kids with disabilities.
Kids with disabilities, the same group GoSheboygan carelessly referred to as “retards” on X.
Kids that need support from a true social justice warrior.
Donohue also serves as the School Board President of the Sheboygan Area School District, which is under scrutiny for allowing a sexually graphic book titled ‘Push’ in the North High School library.
This is the second incident involving graphic sexual content in a SASD library in the past 15 months. Donohue has taken no action as School Board President to prevent this from continuing to happen.
These individuals tell you that you lack understanding of:
Diversity
Equity
Inclusion
Belonging
Yet none of these actions demonstrate a commitment to genuinely enhancing any of these principles. The controlling Democrats’ reckless behavior in Sheboygan has resulted in two federal lawsuits.
In one suit, the Federal Magistrate indicates there is reason to investigate a hostile work environment that was not prevented but was perpetuated by Mayor Sorenson — a suit that is moving forward based on a white, Christian, heterosexual male being discriminated against.
A second complaint with the Department of Workforce Development has forced the city to hire outside lawyers. That complaint states a white, heterosexual female was harassed while working for the City of Sheboygan.
The actions of the members of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party are rooted in:
Division
Exclusion
Indoctrination
Blasphemy
Take a look at the well-documented evidence of what DEIB looks like in Sheboygan under the leadership of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party here:
When is enough going to be enough for you? Are you ready to take action?
Filicky-Peneski and Rust are unfit to serve.
There is a local election today. Polls close at 8:00 p.m.
Go vote!
Today’s election does not mean an end but rather a beginning.
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
A criminal investigation into Zach Rust’s campaign for re-election to the Common Council was conducted by the Sheboygan Police Department.
The investigation has been completed and submitted to the Sheboygan District Attorney’s (D.A.) office. The alleged suspect is Deb Klock, a longtime operative of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party.
On February 18, in the late afternoon, a Ring Doorbell neighborhood notification was posted to residents of Sheboygan. A citizen asked why a man had hung something on his door, and then a woman came and removed the flyer.
This incident was quickly reported to Jesse Roethel, a candidate running against Rust for the District 8 seat on the Common Council. Citizens reported that Roethel was placing his campaign materials on doors in District 8. Shortly after Roethel distributed his flyers, a woman was seen removing them, placing them in her clipboard, which displayed Rust campaign materials.
Social media users identified the suspect as Deb Klock, who has long been associated with the Sheboygan County Democratic Party. Klock, who is closely tied to Sheboygan County Democratic Party Co-Chairs Maeve Quinn and Mary Lynne Donohue, is not a low-level volunteer.
Here is a photo from 2017 showing Klock in the front row, flanked by Donohue and Quinn, with the current mayor of Sheboygan, who also has ties to Klock.
Given her extensive commitment to political activism, Klock would presumably know better than to remove campaign materials. Yet, Klock is allegedly the person in the video removing election materials.
Has Sheboygan County Democratic Party been doing this for years?
Was this theft coordinated?
Issues in the Investigation
After Roethel reported the incident to the Sheboygan Police Department, he was informed by two individuals, including a supervisor, that no crime had been committed. Persistent efforts from Roethel led to the launch of an investigation on February 19.
Despite being told the investigation would be submitted to the D.A.’s office for charges, Roethel found out on March 18 that the D.A.’s office was unaware of the investigation. It had been incorrectly submitted and had to be resubmitted formally.
On March 19, Roethel learned that the police had resubmitted the investigation. By March 21, the D.A. was close to proceeding with charges, expected by March 22. However, as of March 29, no charges have been filed.
Despite video evidence and citizen identification of the suspect, the case of alleged election fraud has seen a six-week delay in charges.
Democratic Party of Sheboygan County’s Ethical Concerns
Klock is active in party causes and is connected to co-presidents Quinn and Donohue, as well as Mayor Sorenson.
Is this behavior standard for the party?
In light of such actions for a Common Council election, what might occur during larger elections?
Has Mayor Sorenson received donations from Klock?
Two years ago, under Quinn’s leadership, the Mead Public Library received a more significant funding increase than any other city department, surpassing the police and fire departments.
Did Mayor Sorenson and the Council advocate for this increase, possibly to benefit Quinn and the library?
Donohue is implicated in a federal lawsuit, accused of conspiring to terminate former City Administrator Todd Wolf without cause.
Is anyone concerned by this unethical behavior?
Rust’s Fitness to Serve Has to be Questioned
As Rust’s campaign is scrutinized, his role as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, which oversees the Ethics Committee, came under fire. Rust ignored complaints about Mayor Sorenson’s ethics and delegated the investigation to Adam Westbrook, now facing federal charges for sex crimes against children. Rust’s inaction and support for Westbrook call into question his ethical judgment.
Rust received emails last summer from Sheboygan residents stating they demanded an ethics investigation into Mayor Sorenson on the basis of harassment based on religion. This was related to Mayor Sorenson posing for a photo with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Rust refused to convene the Committee of the Whole to address the complaints.
This, combined with Mayor Sorenson brazenly removing an agenda item effectively silenced local residents from a chance to publicly speak about their harassment concerns by Mayor Sorenson to the Common Council.
Rust and Mayor Sorenson trampled on your right to free speech and silenced you!
With his campaign under investigation and his failure to uphold ethical standards, Rust is unfit to serve.
Ask them what they will do to address Rust’s campaign being under criminal investigation.
Ask Mayor Sorenson about his ties to Klock.
Demand answers into why Mead Public Library received such a massive increase in funding in the 2023 budget?
Tell them Sheboygan deserves integrity in leadership. Oppose election fraud by making your voice heard before the Tuesday, April 2, election. Be informed about your candidates.
Go Vote!
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
The City of Sheboygan had a tough week in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. This site has expressed frustration with a lack of ethics, integrity, and professionalism while dealing with the city.
The City Attorney’s office has refused to address elements of open records requests or failed to respond to specific questions, violating open records laws and daring residents to take legal action to compel them to share information they are legally required to disclose.
Their lack of ethics, integrity, and professionalism did not fare well in Magistrate Judge Duffin’s federal courtroom.
In a scathing response to the Pelishek v. Sheboygan case, the federal magistrate accused the City of Sheboygan and their legal team of “frequently misrepresenting legal authority.”
Federal Magistrate Duffin stated:
“For present purposes, the court will presume that these misrepresentations were mere errors of the sort that no attorney or lawyer is above. But counsel should be diligent to ensure that these types of mistakes do not recur.”
A Federal Magistrate calls out the City of Sheboygan for “frequently misrepresenting legal authority.”
Can the City and its legal team do anything more concerning than lying in federal court?
Another Potential Integrity Issue in Second Lawsuit
In a response from former City Administrator Todd Wolf’s attorney in a second case, there are accusations that the City and their legal team ignored directives from the same federal magistrate and agreements from a March 4 meeting between both sides, moderated by the federal magistrate.
Wolf’s attorney cites multiple examples of the City changing the wording and disregarding items that were agreed upon. This is evidence of a morally bankrupt City Attorney’s office that believes it can do whatever it wants, with disregard for the law or others involved.
A scathing reprimand from a federal magistrate for misrepresenting the law.
Allegedly breaking agreements between lawyers and disregarding directives from a federal magistrate.
When is enough going to be enough?
The federal magistrate will rule on the response by Wolf’s attorney.
It looks like the court will order the City to turn over all communications between City Attorney Adams and the lawyers from von Briesen & Roper who conducted the investigation into Todd Wolf.
TBS has many questions about the bill the City paid for what was called an impartial and independent investigation.
Why did von Briesen & Roper bill you, the taxpayer, for:
A meeting with Mayor Sorenson and City Attorney Chuck Adams on February 3, 2023, for a telephone conference on the report
A meeting with City Attorney Chuck Adams on February 8, 2023, for a telephone conference regarding final terms of the report
How was there this level of collaboration on finalizing an independent and impartial investigation?
The City has to turn these communications over because of the actions of the City Attorney’s office and Mayor Sorenson.
The City Attorney’s office shared information on the report into former Administrator Todd Wolf. Mayor Sorenson shared that Wolf may have violated policies.
Wolf’s attorney stated in the latest response that a privilege holder “cannot be allowed, after disclosing as much as he pleases, to withhold the remainder.”
The truth will come out.
The City of Sheboygan has found that its lack of ethics and integrity do not play well in federal courts.
Are they protecting you, the taxpayer, from legal costs?
How does the current City Attorney’s office limit the legal risk of your city?
Does the City Attorney’s office act with Sheboygan’s best interest in mind?
Last week seems to indicate they are not.
The costs will be significant to get out of these legal cases.
You will be the one to pay for this.
Are you ready to do something?
If you have had enough of the dysfunction and lack of legal protection for your tax dollars, send an email to the current City Administrator, Casey Bradley (Casey.Bradley@sheboyganwi.gov) and demand he look into our current City Attorney’s office.
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
The past 18 months in Sheboygan have been rough. Currently, two lawsuits are pending in federal court, with several more anticipated.
Alder Roberta Filicky-Peneski played a crucial role in laying the groundwork for this chaos.
In October 2022, an effort was launched to introduce Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training in Sheboygan. A chain of events ultimately led to the firing of former City Administrator Todd Wolf without cause.
Wolf’s lawsuit is making its way through federal court, with a significant update expected today.
On October 17, 2022, the Common Council entered a closed session to discuss the fallout from an incident involving an unidentified individual who shouted a racial slur during a neighborhood association meeting. At a subsequent city department head meeting, the slur was repeated while recounting the incident.
The handling of the racial incident at the neighborhood association meeting led to articles in the Sheboygan Press and public interest in the situation.
The Common Council reviewed Former City Administrator Todd Wolf’s performance. Meeting minutes show a directive for City Attorney Chuck Adams to prepare a resolution preventing Wolf from participating in the hiring of the new Human Resources Director.
This H.R. recruitment process resulted in the appointment of Adam Westbrook, who is currently facing charges of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child.
There was also a directive for Wolf to withdraw from any further public relations activities.
Closed Session Minutes:
On October 24, 2022, Alderpersons Felde and Filicky-Peneski drafted a resolution aimed at changing the responsibilities between the Mayor and City Administrator. The resolution proposed leveraging individual strengths, suggesting that Wolf, with his expertise in project management, should concentrate on that area.
The Council expressed their desire for Mayor Sorenson to manage communications, citing his proficiency in that skill.
Resolution, 10/24/2022:
Where has Mayor Sorenson been on communications lately?
There have been no comments from him regarding the former HR Director’s tenure in Sheboygan amid charges of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a minor.
Sorenson’s presence on social media has become almost nonexistent.
Filicky-Peneski also attempted to exclude Wolf from the HR Director selection process, shifting that responsibility to herself, Felde, and Mayor Sorenson.
On October 28, Mary Lynne Donohue emailed the Common Council members, Mayor Sorenson, and others with the subject line “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Issues in the City.”
Donohue identified herself as the chair of the Sheboygan Justice Equity group, which had previously submitted a Request for Proposal (RFP) focused on devising a DEI strategy for the city government.
She noted that the HR department was initially unable to participate in the RFP. However, she indicated that the search for a new HR department head presented an opportunity to incorporate this proposal into the job search and interview process.
Donohue email 10/28/2022:
At that time, former City Administrator Todd Wolf, assisted by his secretary Carrie Arenz, was leading the HR Director search.
As of October 28, there was no indication that the resolution, changing Wolf’s job responsibility to lead the search for an HR Director, had been passed by the Common Council.
Why did Donohue’s email not include Wolf or Arenz?
What did Donohue know concerning Wolf’s future at this time?
On November 1, Wolf met with Filicky-Peneski at her home, where she was recorded sharing confidential information from a closed session and using a racial slur.
Filicky-Peneski was later reprimanded by the Common Council for violating the council’s well-established norms and values. The Common Council took the bold action of censuring Filicky-Peneski.
On November 7, Wolf was placed on administrative leave. By January 8, 2023, he was terminated without cause through a resolution authored by Filicky-Peneski and Felde.
These incidents have contributed to the chaos in Sheboygan.
The appointment of Adam Westbrook as HR Director and the culture of fear and intimidation that has led to lawsuits.
At two recent public events, Filicky-Peneski has evaded responsibility for the incident and her previous actions. She has insisted that her offensive remarks, made in her private home without her knowledge of being recorded, should be relegated to the past and forgotten.
This alarming behavior should not be dismissed.
It must be acknowledged.
It must be a lesson.
That starts with taking responsibility and being accountable for using racist language.
Roberta Filicky-Peneski’s actions have been instrumental in the upheaval that has shaken Sheboygan for over a year.
Despite her assertion that these events are behind her, the Council’s eroded trust speaks volumes.
In the October 28 email from Donohue, did she know information about the October 17 closed session?
Could this confidential information have been leaked to Donohue?
Alder Felde stated in a Sheboygan press article that the real punishment would be ” the council’s “lack of trust in her now.”
The Common Council has a lack of trust in Roberta Filicky-Peneski.
Should you, too?
Stay tuned for an expected update on the Wolf case coming today. There could be considerable information being released related to the investigation that led to Wolf’s firing without cause.
TBS will be watching.
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
Former Director of Planning and Development Chad Pelishek’s case against the City of Sheboygan will proceed on the Title VII claim of a hostile work environment in a scathing response by U.S. Magistrate Judge William E. Duffin toward both sides’ attorneys.
There will also be a claim moving forward that the following parties failed to provide equal protection for Pelishek from discrimination due to his race:
Mayor Sorenson
Former Alder Amanda Salazar
Director of Senior Services Emily Rendall-Araujo
City Attorney Chuck Adams
City of Sheboygan
The judge dismissed Barbara Felde and Roberta Filicky-Peneski from that claim.
TBS has referenced a culture of fear and intimidation under former Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook and has received questions on evidence to support a culture of fear and intimidation.
Magistrate Judge Duffin raised the bar from a culture of fear and intimidation to a potentially hostile work environment.
Magistrate Judge Duffin points out that being falsely labeled a racist could constitute harassment. The false allegations were so severe that Pelishek couldn’t do his job and had mental health issues due to the stress.
The decision and order state that Mayor Sorenson, as Pelishek’s supervisor, not only allegedly contributed to this false narrative but also allowed it to be repeated and spread through the community and city government.
The Sheboygan Press published articles stating that Pelishek used a racial slur in a meeting. TBS was informed that he repeatedly asked city leaders for a press release or statement to clear his name. This request was always refused.
City Attorney Chuck Adams, however, was quick to release a press statement regarding the article posted by WHBL on former Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook’s resignation. View WHBL link here.
Adams was quick to offer support to Westbrook, who is currently facing charges of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child.
Why wouldn’t Adams step up to clear Pelishek’s name?
When Pelishek contacted former H.R. Director Adam Westbrook, he was informed that he “had no protected status,” and it was implied that Pelishek should just deal with it.
This is the second documented complaint alleging Westbrook informed the employee that they could not be harassed or discriminated against.
Both employees are moving forward with legal action against the City of Sheboygan. Regardless of the outcome of these cases, litigation will cost money, and you, as the taxpayer, will pay for it.
The city attorney’s office should prevent or minimize how often Sheboygan faces legal issues.
There are currently two federal court cases against the city and two Department of Workforce Development complaints against it, which may end up as lawsuits.
Adam Westbrook cited unwavering personal and professional support from Assistant Attorney Liz Majerus.
Did this unwavering support lead to Westbrook allegedly denying employees protections under the law?
According to Magistrate Judge Duffin, one mistake could have contributed to a hostile work environment — a much higher bar than a culture of fear and intimidation.
Are you tired of the endless stream of lawsuits?
Are you frustrated that you will have to pay for these lawsuits as a taxpayer?
When will it be enough for you to act?
Email City Administrator Casey Bradley today to share your concerns with the city attorney’s office: casey.bradley@sheboyganwi.gov.
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
TBS has received word that a former city employee has filed another complaint with the Department of Workforce Development.
A loyal and committed employee of 28 years with zero discipline issues was forced to decide between retirement, resigning, or being terminated by former H.R. Director Adam Westbrook.
What would cause such an extreme response from the City of Sheboygan towards a loyal and committed employee?
This.
This long-term loyal employee attended the presentations of the city administrator finalists. The final presentations that you, as a taxpayer, were notallowed to attend were only open to city employees, as detailed in an email from Westbrook to all city employees.
At this, city employees were asked to fill out a questionnaire that would provide feedback to the common council. The photo details what this former employee submitted.
The following information is alleged in the Department of Workforce Development complaint.
This employee was told they would need to meet with Westbrook, and the meeting occurred. In the meeting, Westbrook asked the employee if that was their form. The answer was yes. Westbrook then told the employee that they were unprofessional and toxic. He informed them that their actions were “basically like you flipping off the council and saying f*ck you.”
After retiring, the employee emailed two members of the Common Council, who stated they were unaware of any of this.
The employee was allegedly given the three options of retirement, resignation, or termination and had to decide in two days.
The employee’s wife was scheduled for a biopsy, and this stress would not help. The choice was retirement, as there was a significant need for health insurance due to the wife’s health issues.
The employee stated that nobody else could do the job and offered to stay on for an extended time to train a replacement. Westbrook said no, and the employee’s last day was one week from the day he submitted a retirement letter.
In an interview with Westbrook, the employee stated that they had been around for 28 years and had seen mayors, department heads, and council members come and “fix” everything, which led to a mess after they moved on to another job. The long-term employees are left to clean up the mess. This employee informed Westbrook that it was exhausting.
Westbrook said if that’s the case, you should have come to talk to me. The employee said no, that would never happen. I would have a target on my back. Some city employees are worried about retirement and are miserable. They come to work, put their heads down, and hope to make it to retirement.
Westbrook allegedly said that’s not true.
The employee said yes, it is.
This is evidence of a culture of fear and intimidation that Westbrook was allowed to force on city employees.
When the former employee asked their supervisor for notes from the meeting with Westbrook, the supervisor responded, “Let me think about that.” According to the complaint, the supervisor then said they would need to ask the City of Sheboygan if they could share that with them and mentioned being an at-will employee.
The notes were not shared.
This is evidence of a culture of fear and intimidation.
When Westbrook was asked for his notes from the meeting by the employee, Westbrook stated there were no notes.
The employee retired after 28 years of loyal service to the city. There were no previous discipline issues. This was the treatment this employee received from your city while their wife was facing a biopsy.
Questions have been sent to TBS about a lack of proof of a “culture of fear and intimidation.”
The city has approved hiring an outside attorney to handle one Department of Workplace Development complaint regarding an employee who reported to Adam Westbrook and was fired over the phone while attending a conference as a city employee.
They were fired over the phone before they could return home or to work.
This complaint alleges that a 28-year employee was forced to retire or be fired by Westbrook over voicing concerns on a questionnaire. The supervisor refused to provide details due to being an at-will employee.
What more evidence do you need to show a culture of fear and intimidation?
Two pending lawsuits.
Two attorneys in the City Attorney’s office.
Westbrook cited unwavering support from Assistant Attorney Liz Majerus, both personally and professionally, in his resignation.
The report that led to the firing of former City Administrator Todd Wolf stated that he “constituted insubordinate and inappropriate comment against citizens, and created possible legal risk for the City, all in violation of numerous City policies.”
The city attorney’s office claimed Todd Wolf created possible legal risk for the City of Sheboygan.
The current city attorney, Chuck Adams, and the assistant city attorney, Liz Majerus, are tasked with limiting the city’s legal risks.
Is the current City Attorney’s office a legal risk for the city of Sheboygan?
The lawsuits keep coming in.
These are real.
The city attorneys should be limiting the legal risk.
Are they?
This is a question for current city administrator Casey Bradley to examine. Email him to voice your concerns or questions.
Is the current city attorney’s office protecting your interest as a taxpayer?
Is there a better, more efficient use of your tax dollars for legal needs?
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
Monday, February 19, the Common Council approved a resolution to pay an attorney to respond to a Department of Workforce Development complaint against the City of Sheboygan.
This is the first step to sue the city from a former employee fired by former HR Director Adam Westbrook.
The former employee worked in the Human Resources office and applied for the director position but was turned down in favor of Westbrook. This person had more human resources experience and training than Adam Westbrook but was told by Mayor Sorenson they would not get the position as the city hired Westbrook instead.
Why did Mayor Sorenson choose to hire Westbrook over a more qualified person?
The complaint states that Mayor Sorenson stated Westbrook had experience in transit labor negotiations that they did not and would bring more value to the role. It details that upon starting in the role, Westbrook stated that he had no experience in transit labor negotiations. It also details that in Westbrook’s interview, he said that he had experience in human resources software in a previous role, and upon starting in Sheboygan, when there was an issue with this software, Westbrook stated he had no idea how to work with it on this issue.
The complaint details a culture of discrimination and retaliation by Westbrook and another employee from a different department. It describes a scenario where a department head asked for additional time off for an employee whose grandparent passed away. Westbrook instructed the complainant to grant the extra time. When it was questioned by the payroll department, the former employee asked for support, and Westbrook did not support the employee. This created a more complex and challenging situation for an employee dealing with the grief of losing a grandparent.
The former employee was terminated while away from Sheboygan attending a conference for professional development. The employee was not allowed to return to Sheboygan or work before being fired. This employee was fired over the phone because Westbrook was out of work for ten days because of the placement of his adopted children.
The culture of fear and intimidation detailed on this site could produce another lawsuit for Sheboygan that you, the taxpayer, will pay for by hiring lawyers to defend your city.
This site has been claimed to be propaganda. This site has been criticized. This site has been accurate, and the legal fees to defend against this claim are not fake.
The City of Sheboygan has an attorney in Chuck Adams and an assistant attorney in Liz Majerus. They are paid with your tax dollars and employed to handle legal matters in Sheboygan. They are both there to protect Sheboygan’s legal interests.
They were both present for the volatile nine-month tenure of Adam Westbrook. A source within city hall stated that he was close to Assistant Attorney Liz Majerus towards the end of Westbrook’s time in Sheboygan. Westbrook went out of his way to mention Majerus in his resignation. Westbrook mentioned Majerus by name, stating her unwavering support for the human resources function and for him personally.
The actions of Westbrook as HR director are referenced in the federal court case by former Director of Planning and Development Chad Pelishek, where Westbrook allegedly stated he could not be discriminated against because he was not in a protected class.
The current claim alleges that Westbrook told the former employee another woman could not harass her because she was a woman. Both individuals filed complaints for concerns that Westbrook told them they could not be victims.
Westbrook stated that he received unwavering support from Assistant Attorney Liz Majerus.
That unwavering support enabled the culture of fear and intimidation under Westbrook’s leadership that employees have shared with this site.
There are mentions of additional complaints coming from more employees terminated by Westbrook. The city continues to deal with legal ramifications from the volatile nine months that Adam Westbrook led the human resources department.
If the city’s attorney’s office will grant unwavering support to behavior that results in lawsuits against the city, why do we have an attorney’s office?
Chuck Adams and Liz Majerus have put aside protecting Sheboygan’s legal interests.
As Westbrook put it, their unwavering support has been directed toward Mayor Sorenson’s agenda and has been misguided from the start.
The weaponizing of this agenda by Westbrook in the ruthless treatment of employees and terminations has produced legal costs to you as the taxpayer.
New City Administrator Casey Bradley has moved to outsource legal services to assist with development matters. Do you think Bradley should eliminate the City Attorney’s office?
Email your concerns over your current City Attorney’s office to Administrator Bradley here:
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
Former Sheboygan HR Director Adam Westbrook is scheduled to make his initial appearance in a Sauk County courtroom tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. Westbrook is facing four counts each of Child Sexual Exploitation and Possession of Child Pornography.
Many staunch supporters of Westbrook remain in city hall. Mayor Sorenson, Attorney Chuck Adams, and Assistant City Attorney Liz Majerus were very supportive and assertive in protecting Westbrook.
Chuck Adams quickly issued a press release to WHBL clearing Westbrook of claims that an open records request for alleged inappropriate comments to an intern was related to his resignation.
Adams’ press release rebuking any claims against Westbrook essentially cleared his name.
The Former Director of Planning and Development, Chad Pelishek, asked for the same exact thing Adams did for Westbrook many times after this headline appeared in the Sheboygan Press.
Adams and other city officials refused to attempt to clear Pelishek’s name, putting his life into disarray and setting the events in motion for the termination of former City Administrator Todd Wolf without cause.
Sheboygan currently faces two federal lawsuits regarding these events.
What could have potentially been prevented had Adams investigated Westbrook?
Why has Mayor Sorenson not released anything regarding the arrest and charges facing Westbrook?
Mayor Sorenson, will you publicly denounce Westbrook?
Alder Dean Dekker, your comments at the September 18, 2023, Common Council meeting were critical of this site and this message.
Very few people who were critical of Westbrook ever met him in person. No opinions were formed by anything other than his actions as a city employee, email communication, and city employees’ testimonies.
It was clear that Westbrook was egotistical and abusive with power.
He leveraged his education and training to overpower and steamroll city employees. Westbrook utilized policy and judicial training as muscle to strong-arm long-term dedicated employees, often sending their lives into a tailspin.
Long-term dedicated employees of the City of Sheboygan stories brought forward to TBS repeated this abuse of power and little regard for the respect or decency of those on the other side of the table.
Mr. Dekker, you applauded Westbrook and indicated he was a great employee during his time in Sheboygan. You added that a “small but vocal group” bullied an employee into resigning and stated that you do not believe this is who we are as Sheboyganites.
You apologized for the harassment that the “small but vocal group” brought upon Westbrook.
Members of this “small but vocal group” did not work closely with Westbrook. We did not spend hours with him in a professional setting. Yet, it was clear that something was not right with him.
With him as a person, not with him for his sexual orientation or any other reasons that were brought up. The issue was with his ego and brazen abuse of power over those who were powerless.
The allegations facing Westbrook in that courtroom tomorrow may indicate that Westbrook’s fascination with abusing power to overpower the powerless extended beyond his professional life.
That was the problem with Westbrook. That was the concern. Nothing else.
Mr. Dekker, you end your prepared remarks by saying the views of the group that opposed Westbrook did not reflect the majority of Sheboygan but a small minority. You closed by saying we are better than this.
You stated that in defense of Westbrook.
It is hard to believe that the majority of Sheboygan does not oppose brazen abuses of power over the powerless.
Can we agree this is wrong?
Mayor Sorenson, Dean Dekker, Chuck Adams, and Common Council members need to release a public statement denouncing Adam Westbrook.
In the words of Dean Dekker: We are better than this.
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
Sunday afternoon, there was a neighborhood notification through Ring Doorbell. A resident on Henry Street had concerns because a man placed something on his door, and shortly after, a woman came and removed the materials from the door.
It was confirmed that the man was Jesse Roethel, a candidate for the District 8 Alder position. He was putting out campaign materials in advance of the primary on Tuesday.
His campaign materials were seen being removed by a woman from the door. The woman took the materials and put them in her clipboard. On the top of the clipboard were campaign materials for Zach Rust.
A Rust supporter was stealing the campaign materials of a political opponent!
Earlier today, it was documented that Rust refused to convene the Committee of the Whole to conduct an ethics investigation into Mayor Sorenson regarding the photo from the Pride Event that was mocking the Catholic religion.
Zach Rust is in a current ethics situation with his supporter stealing election materials. This violates the Sheboygan Municipal Code and State of Wisconsin Law. Is Zach Rust the type of candidate you want to vote for?
Take Back Sheboygan is currently working to confirm the identification of this woman.
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Claims have been made that this woman is a long-time Democratic supporter from Sheboygan County. If it is this person, there are extensive ties to the city’s current leadership and the Democratic party going back years.
Zach Rust, you can do the right thing and come out and identify who this woman is. It’s on you.
You’re on the Klock.
TBS will also follow former Sheboygan HR director Adam Westbrook’s court appearance.
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department is currently investigating a high-profile case involving a Racine Sheriff’s Deputy. TBS received a tip indicating that there is a chance the two cases are related.
There are more people inside City Hall closely tied to Westbrook. Information is coming forward.
Mayor Sorenson, TBS has its Sniffies out and is looking at some things now.
Stay tuned.
Due to the theft committed by the Rust supporter, if you did not receive campaign materials from Jesse Roethel and you live in District Eight, contact us at https://takebacksheboygancounty.com/contact/, and we will put you in touch with his campaign.
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
Roberta Filicky-Peneski and Zach Rust will appear on the ballot on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, in the primary elections for Common Council. Both alders showed blind loyalty and support towards former Human Resource Director Adam Westbrook, who is facing four counts each of sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.
Filicky-Peneski was part of an email exchange last summer concerning a citizen’s issues with Mayor Sorenson at the Pride Event. Mayor Sorenson posed with members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The citizen asked for an ethics investigation into the matter, which Westbrook did not address. The citizen invited Westbrook to their home for a meeting.
Filicky-Peneski, the only alder to respond to the many emails, advised Westbrook to meet at City Hall instead of the citizen’s home to protect Westbrook.
Her hesitation regarding home meetings might come from a prior incident where she was caught sharing information from a closed session meeting, violating her ethical duties. This breach of confidentiality has led to a “lack of trust” by Alder Barb Felde and other council members.
During the same session, Filicky-Peneski used the same racial slur that started the events that eventually led to the termination without cause of former City Administrator Todd Wolf.
Roberta Filicky-Peneski can’t be trusted by her colleagues on the Common Council. How can she be trusted to represent you?
Zach Rust, also running for reelection and currently the Committee of the Whole Chairperson, was involved in the same email thread. He was asked to address the ethics concerns by bringing together the Committee of the Whole. Rust refused to do this, aligning with Westbrook and robbing the council of investigating the complaint.
This inaction followed Mayor Sorenson’s removal of the concern from the meeting agenda and prevented public comment regarding the photo that mocked the Catholic faith. Rust and Mayor Sorenson trampled on your right to free speech.
Rust avoided his duty and responsibilities as Chairperson and chose Westbrook’s and Mayor Sorenson’s interests over yours.
Do you want to vote for an alder who robs citizens of their right to free speech and chooses the interests of the Mayor and Westbrook over yours?
The former City of Sheboygan H.R. Director Adam Westbrook is scheduled for court on Monday, February 19, 2024. There are more people in City Hall with deep ties to Westbrook.
Stay tuned.
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
Former Sheboygan H.R. Director Adam Westbrook is in Sauk County jail, facing four counts of possession of child pornography and four counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Take Back Sheboygan detailed the culture of intimidation and fear that Westbrook brought to the City of Sheboygan before his resignation.
“What I did not know was how callous, deliberately untruthful, and unwelcoming a small, but very vocal, part of this community would be. Since starting at the City, I have been subject to an onslaught of false, defamatory, and downright hateful statements and accusations coming from a small group of individuals who seem to relish in conspiracy theories, name-calling, and trying as hard as they can to rid the City of anyone who doesn’t look, think, or act like them.”
There was a report on WHBL that stated Westbrook resigned amidst allegations of inappropriate comments of a sexual nature to a city intern. There was an open records request regarding Westbrook’s conduct, and shortly after that, he resigned. City Attorney Chuck Adams released a press release, and in the words of WHBL, “strongly rebuked claims of inappropriate conduct by Westbrook.”
Adams stated that he was made aware of the comment and spoke to people involved in the conversation, and he was able to determine the conversation was entirely appropriate and above board.
What could have happened had Adams conducted a more thorough investigation? What may have been discovered?
The Appleton Post Crescent had an article yesterday, February 17, 2024, about the allegations made against Westbrook. The article states that Sheboygan Press reporter Alex Garner contributed to the article. The article mentions this site and talks about posts that alleged Westbrook’s actions led to “corruption” at City Hall.
Westbrook denied all the allegations made on this site during an interview with the Sheboygan Press.
Other residents of Sheboygan brought forward concerns with Westbrook other than this site. Some people in this community referred to this as propaganda or people obsessed with conspiracy theories.
Westbrook said, “They are spreading false accusations to City employees and the public at large, trying to undermine all of the good things the City is doing, and tarnish my name and reputation along the way.”
There is more to this story. There are people currently in City Hall who made deliberate choices to align with Adam Westbrook. Those stories may be coming soon.
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/.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
There have been claims made that Take Back Sheboygan County is a propaganda machine pushing a fake idea of a DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) agenda that is causing the City of Sheboygan to have a misguided focus on DEIB rather than the day-to-day operations of running a city and providing services to taxpayers.This is not propaganda, and here is the supporting evidence.
In an article published in the Sheboygan Press on August 6, 2019, there is an update on the Common Council banning conversion therapy on minors in a packed meeting. Alder Mary Lynne Donohue is quoted advocating for the ban’s passage, with then-Alder Ryan Sorenson cited as an author of the ordinance.
The article quotes Sorenson from a previous article, stating, “It’s difficult to track if conversion therapy has been practiced in Sheboygan, but the goal of the ordinance is to prevent it from happening.”
The point of this post has nothing to do with whether conversion therapy is good or bad. The point is that Sorenson and Donohue advocated for an ordinance to stop something that they did not know whether or not it existed in Sheboygan. They created a solution for a problem that they could not support existed in Sheboygan.
Mayor Sorenson attempted to generate fundraising money by banning conversion therapy and flying the Pride Flag at City Hall upon election as crowning achievements of his political career. This exemplifies Sorenson’s misguided focus as an elected official in Sheboygan. Where are the crowning achievements that make Sheboygan a better place to live for all taxpayers?
Note: Take Back Sheboygan County has never endorsed, supported, or discussed President Donald Trump. Take Back Sheboygan County is not MAGA, nor is it associated with MAGA.
The city is currently facing two federal lawsuits. One is in relationship to the firing of Todd Wolf as City Administrator without cause. The other suit has been filed by former employee Chad Pelishek for discrimination. Both of these cases are causing significant financial resources from the City of Sheboygan to be used on legal defense in federal court. These cases both resulted from the misplaced focus on DEIB in Sheboygan.
On October 5, 2022, Wolf and Pelishek met for lunch with two community members discussing DEI initiatives in Sheboygan. The lawsuit filed by Wolf alleges that Wolf refused to allocate $70,000 to a DEI consulting agreement.
On October 28, 2022, Mary Lynne Donohue sent the following email to the Common Council as the chair of the Sheboygan Justice Equity group that submitted a Request for Proposal “that aims to research, identify, and strategize on a process to bring a diverse, equitable and inclusive structure to city government.”
You can review the bold request from a chair of a group that works in DEI consulting asking the Common Council to reconsider a Request for Proposal that her group drafted be reconsidered for funding.
The recent resignation of Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook was covered by the Sheboygan Press, which stated that Take Back Sheboygan County has stated the city has a diversity and inclusion “agenda.” Take Back Sheboygan County has received emails that Westbrook would send to all City of Sheboygan employees titled “Diversity Digest.”
One book Westbrook suggests in this email is Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender. This book is a story of a teenager working through gender identity challenges and transitioning. It is a Young Adult novel.
As a city employee, would you feel reading a Young Adult novel would benefit you in your role? Some may, but certainly not every city employee would be a better employee due to reading a Young Adult Novel on gender identity.
Westbrook also recommends an R-rated movie called Boys Don’t Cry. Westbrook instructs city employees that this movie is for mature audiences only and contains many devastating and graphic moments. Westbrook also informs every city employee that this is the only movie that has ever made him cry. Does every city employee need to be made aware of a movie that includes intense and devastating moments from a director-level leader at their place of employment?
Westbrook sent all City employees an edition of Diversity Digest titled Celebrate Black History Month. In this email, Westbrook provided books, movies, podcasts, and an album for education. One book Westbrook suggested is How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
This book is widely used in DEI work. The book has received considerable criticism for spreading Marxist ideology. In reading this book, Kendi states that capitalism and racism are conjoined twins. This line has drawn heavy criticism due to the harsh criticism of capitalism in America.
In addition to this, there was the failed strategic plan that the City of Sheboygan hired a consultant to draft and, after public backlash, had to be scrapped due to being entirely focused on DEIB and neglecting any strategic plan for departments like the Fire and Police Departments. This cost $140,000 to taxpayers due to a misguided focus by Mayor Sorenson and some of the Common Council.
The Sheboygan Press quoted Westbrook as saying he had never experienced local groups pushing the city “not to change, not to grow, not to become a more diverse, inclusive place.”
Take Back Sheboygan County is not opposed to growth, change, or becoming more diverse and inclusive. Take Back Sheboygan County opposes growth and change irrelevant to making Sheboygan better for all taxpayers. There is opposition to our City’s government driving change with NO strategic plan, NO appropriate allocation of resources, and NO involvement of stakeholders while being done without transparency and without open communication. That kind of change will not be supported!
While the focus on DEI is alive and well, the SouthPointe Enterprise Campus shows no progress in a recent update from the Sheboygan Press. On August 28, the City Attorney informed the Common Council that an offer to purchase fell through and said canceling this agreement would open up the opportunity for other buyers. Later in the article, it states that the majority of lots are still available. If the majority of lots are still available, how was losing the other development a benefit in that other buyers could be interested?
There was no evidence of any progress in filling the SouthPointe Enterprise Campus in the latest update from the Sheboygan Press.
The calls on social media that Take Back Sheboygan County is a propaganda site that is pushing lies and false narratives are untrue. Everything cited in this post is real. It has happened in Sheboygan. The DEI agenda is present.
This agenda is causing the City of Sheboygan to not focus on real issues that impact taxpayers. The day-to-day operations of the city are an afterthought. There have been financial costs, such as the failed strategic plan to taxpayers and the hiring of a recruiting firm to fill the Human Resources position that Westbrook filled for nine months. The financial impact is real, while substantial improvements to life in Sheboygan are few and far between!
Mayor Sorenson has tried to raise money around a crowning achievement of banning a form of therapy for which he could not provide evidence existed in Sheboygan. That is the definition of misguided focus!
City of Sheboygan Human Resources Director, Adam Westbrook, resigned on August 30th. Take Back Sheboygan County had previously highlighted the culture of fear, intimidation, and retaliation experienced by City employees during the tumultuous nine months after Westbrook’s arrival in Sheboygan.
Following Westbrook’s resignation announcement, Take Back Sheboygan County received messages from current and former employees, shedding more light on the situation. The fear of retaliation and the culture of intimidation have somewhat lessened with Westbrook’s impending departure.
One such message came from a 26-year veteran employee of the City of Sheboygan who has since left. This employee’s story is concerning because he worked overtime and holiday events, received satisfactory and above-average performance reviews, yet left the City of Sheboygan due to the toxic work environment and a lack of leadership.
The employee’s troubles began with an accident while driving a City truck in a park last year in October. During this incident, the truck’s equipment box clipped a pole, causing damage. The employee reported the accident and was informed, before Westbrook’s tenure, that a performance improvement plan would be initiated, as it was standard procedure after accidents. However, the City never implemented the improvement plan, and the employee received a satisfactory review and a pay raise.
Another incident occurred this past April, after Westbrook’s arrival when the employee accidentally backed a City vehicle into another car in a parking lot. The employee followed the proper procedures by notifying the vehicle owner and calling the police, which led to a report being filed.
Westbrook subsequently met with the employee and presented three options: resign the next day, resign in a few weeks, or accept a 24% pay cut and work as a janitor. Considering his family and the impact of inflation, the employee couldn’t easily absorb such a significant pay cut.
The employee requested time to think and later reviewed the letter presented by Westbrook during the meeting. However, the letter only outlined the immediate or the few week resignation options, omitting the offer for a lower-paying position that would allow continued employment.
Feeling concerned, the employee sought someone to talk to. Since Westbrook was unavailable, Mayor Sorenson agreed to meet with him. During the meeting, the employee shared his story, and Mayor Sorenson assured him that the City would address the situation. However, after this meeting, Mayor Sorenson disappeared, offering no further support or solutions.
The employee then worked out an agreement with another colleague in the same department who expressed interest in the 26-year employee’s position. The supervisor reassured both employees that this arrangement would work, and they would both have jobs.
However, the 26-year employee later learned that both positions needed to be individually posted for two weeks, prolonging the process to one month. During this time, the employee was also informed that he could no longer operate any City vehicle. Despite interviewing for the open position, knowing that driving wasn’t a requirement, the employee was later told that he wouldn’t even be allowed to drive a lawnmower, and he did not get the position.
Feeling frustrated and unfairly treated, the employee asked the supervisor how to explain to others why he didn’t get the job. The supervisor’s response was that he could say the supervisor had “F&*%ed him over.” This reply did not sit well with the employee, who requested a meeting with a higher-level manager and Westbrook. An invitation was extended to the supervisor who used the vulgar word, making the employee uncomfortable as the supervisor attended the meeting.
During the meeting, the employee explained that Westbrook had downplayed the use of the F-word and had repeatedly used it, even jokingly. The employee was informed that the only option to continue employment with the City was to accept the lower-paying position as a janitor with a 24% pay cut.
Frustrated, the 26-year employee eventually left the City of Sheboygan for another employer. The substantial pay cut, coupled with the perceived unfair treatment, drove away a long-serving, skilled, and dedicated employee.
As Westbrook’s questionable treatment led to the employee’s departure, this individual has now come forward since finding alternative employment and Westbrook’s resignation. This underscores the fear and intimidation prevalent in Sheboygan’s Human Resources office during Westbrook’s nine-month tenure, where the ‘human’ was seemingly removed from ‘human resources.’
While there is a sense of relief and even joy in Westbrook’s departure, a more significant concern looms over Sheboygan. The plight of the 26-year employee illustrates Mayor Ryan Sorenson’s failures. Mayor Sorenson had promised support to this employee but disappeared during his time of greatest need as he struggled to provide for his family amidst high inflation and a forced 24% pay cut.
Mayor Sorenson and eight of the ten members of the Common Council (excluding Alders Mitchell and Heidemann) are responsible for the toxic work environment and the mass exodus of City employees. The abrupt termination of City Administrator Todd Wolf without cause, driven by the mayor and eight of the ten members of the Common Council, has placed Sheboygan in this unfortunate predicament. Their decision to hire Westbrook further exacerbated the existing issues at City Hall.
Mayor Sorenson is failing City employees and failing taxpayers. His misdirected focus is evident as he participates in groundbreaking ceremonies for Popeye’s Chicken and attends Esslingen Fest. Where was Mayor Sorenson when this dedicated 26-year employee struggled to support his family in the face of a 24% pay cut?
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/.
“Corruption at City Hall” is an ongoing series that began in early July. Plans are to continue until all issues have been exposed and resolved. Taxpayers must be assured that City leadership truly serves the people, not self-interest or special interest groups.
You are the solution! Be part of a movement to improve your community!
Part 8, Corruption at Sheboygan City Hall: Westbrook Forces Out Two More City Employees
Take Back Sheboygan County has learned that the past few weeks have seen a continued turnover of city employees. One employee with 29 years of service was forced into early retirement for writing the name “Todd Wolf” on a questionnaire at the City Administrator stakeholder meetings. This employee has no known previous disciplinary issues and provided service to the city admirably. Some quotes that were shared anonymously were, “This employee did not have enough years of service to retire, so this does not make sense.” Another employee shared that the retirement pizza party and news came very abruptly.
An anonymous report stated that this employee asked who would do the job upon retirement and volunteered to stay on board to train the replacement. This employee was instructed that was not an option. This leaves a department in our city that is already battling staffing issues to cover a full-time position with no plan or consideration from Westbrook regarding the vacancy it would cause in the department.
Take Back Sheboygan County was anonymously informed that another employee with ties to Chad Pelishek was terminated and walked out of City Hall on Tuesday, August 8, which coincides with the same day Take Back Sheboygan County released the post detailing Chad Pelishek’s lawsuit.
What was the immediate danger and threat to the city by this employee that required immediate termination? Was the threat significant enough that the city needed to terminate this employee on the same day as the release of the lawsuit and risk it being labeled as retaliation?
Take Back Sheboygan County was notified of statements made by Mr. Westbrook in an email regarding harassment concerns based on religion due to Mayor Sorenson’s photo with a group mocking the Catholic religion. The citizen shared that city employees voiced concerns over harassment based on their religion due to the photo but faced the fear of bringing the concern forward due to not wanting to be terminated without cause like former city administrator Todd Wolf.
Westbrook responded in an email on July 19 with the following:
“As you know, I was not here when the Todd situation happened and had no role in that investigation or in the decision to terminate his position. As an attorney and an HR professional, I understand that retaliation is always worse than the original violation and would never allow or support an employee being terminated for filing a sincere report of harassment, discrimination, or bullying. (Obviously making something up would be a different story.)”
Westbrook expands on that later in the email with this statement:
“If these employees still have the irrational fear that I will retaliate or share their information (which they would have zero reason to hold that opinion of me), they have the option to follow the whistleblower procedure which (while still needing to provide their information) adds protection under the whistleblower law.”
With two employees ending their employment with our city recently and city employees stating that it was “heavy-handed discipline” and the “consequence did not match the issue” anonymously to Take Back Sheboygan, Westbrook feels that no city employee has a rational reason to fear interacting with him as Human Resources Director. City employees are communicating with Take Back Sheboygan and voicing concerns out of genuine fear of Westbrook, Mayor Sorenson, and eight of the ten members of the Common Council (excluding Alder Trey Mitchell and Alder Joe Heidemann).
Westbrook states that he understands that retaliation is always worse than the violation. Was the termination of an employee with close ties to Chad Pelishek on the same day this site posted information on Pelishek’s lawsuit retaliation?
The culture of fear and intimidation is rampant among city employees!
In the emails between Westbrook and the citizen regarding the harassment investigation, Westbrook refused to meet with the resident over the concern and instructed the citizen to review the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (E.E.O.C.) website for education.
Westbrook often refers to himself as an attorney and a Human Resources professional. In the Pelishek suit, there is an allegation that Westbrook told Chad Pelishek, “You are not being discriminated against,” and that Pelishek has no “protected status.”
The same E.E.O.C that Westbrook directed the concerned citizen to use for education is the same agency that granted Pelishek the right to sue the city of Sheboygan for discrimination. This led to a second federal court case naming the City of Sheboygan.
Westbrook’s actions are impacting employees of the City of Sheboygan, forcing them to work every day in a culture of fear and intimidation. Westbrook’s reckless actions have added to the city’s challenges, and Westbrook denies that he was involved in the Wolf investigation. There are allegations in the Pelishek suit that after Westbrook started with the city, he was involved in the Wolf situation even after the termination. This contradicts Westbrook’s statement in the email to the citizen that attempts to distance himself from the “Todd situation.”
City employees are scared, frustrated, and wondering who is next. This is unfair to the people who work to serve you as a taxpayer every day. This negative work environment impacts the attitudes and mindset of city employees every day. It is admirable to see the commitment of the day-to-day employees not to allow this toxic environment to impact the services they provide. It is wearing on employees, and that impacts you as a taxpayer!
It is also wrong and unfair treatment of individuals who dedicate their careers to serving you. Why is Westbrook acting this way?
The forced retirement of a 29-year employee seems to be tied to behavior that upset the mayor and/or the eight members of the ten members (excluding Alder Mitchell and Alder Heidemann)of the Common Council.
Is Westbrook working for the City of Sheboygan as a whole, or is Westbrook working only for Mayor Sorenson and eight of the ten members (excluding Alders Mitchell and Heidemann) of the Common Council?
Five people, Including Mayor Ryan Sorenson, Named in a Lawsuit filed by Former Sheboygan Director of Planning and Development, Chad Pelishek.
The lawsuit was filed on August 7, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Pelishek resigned in May, 2023, after a 16-year career with the City of Sheboygan, citing severe negative impacts on himself and his family.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued Pelishek a Notice of the Right to Sue for his discrimination charge on June 15, 2023.
The defendants in the lawsuit include Sorenson, Common Council members Barbara Felde, Roberta Filicky-Peneski, and Amanda Salazar, as well as Emily Rendall-Araujo, the Director of Uptown Social.
The claim submitted by Pelishek’s attorney, Jennifer DeMaster, alleges that Pelishek faced abusive and hostile conditions in his job, driven by the DEI collective. They labeled him a racist for expressing concerns about racism and demanded his termination while fabricating a false narrative about him.
The lawsuit claims that Pelishek witnessed Todd Wolf being accused of harassment and misconduct, leading to his termination without cause by the City of Sheboygan. When Pelishek tried to present evidence disproving these allegations against Wolf, he and his family were harassed and threatened by City officials.
The events with Wolf and Pelishek stemmed from an incident at a Sheboygan Neighborhood Association meeting, where an unidentified person made a racial slur. Pelishek sought assistance from Mayor Sorenson to address racial issues in neighborhood meetings, but the mayor ignored his requests.
During a meeting on August 22, 2022, Pelishek asked for help in addressing racism, and Emily Rendall-Araujo told him to quote the racist comment made by the unidentified person in the neighborhood meeting. Pelishek then provided a quote of the comment made by the unidentified male that included a racial slur.
The lawsuit also covers a lunch meeting on October 5, 2022, where Wolf, Pelishek, and another City employee met with members of the DEI group. The DEI members asked for $70,000 for consulting work, and when Wolf refused, they threatened to oppose him.
On October 10, 2022, the Sheboygan Press published an article titled “Sheboygan Leader Uses Racist Slur in Meeting” with a picture of Pelishek.
The lawsuit alleges that Rendall-Araujo met with a Sheboygan Press reporter and influenced the publication of additional articles suggesting Pelishek was racist and that Wolf failed to address racism.
These events led to an investigation of Wolf and eventual termination without cause. Following Wolf’s termination, Pelishek was told by City Attorney Chuck Adams to report directly to Mayor Sorenson. When Pelishek asked if he could have a private lawyer for himself during an investigation, Sorenson denied the request, stating that Adams was his lawyer for all matters related to the City and the investigation.
Due to fear without being allowed an attorney, Pelishek recorded his interview with Attorney Hall when he was questioned regarding the Todd Wolf investigation. The suit states that after being pressed by Hall to share his concerns, Pelishek told Hall about concerns regarding troubling financial matters with Progressive/DEI connected individuals and the City that he was aware of, that those issues were under an external audit, that Rendall-Araujo told him to tell her exactly what racist statement was made, and that he believes Rendall-Araujo asking him to repeat it was a “set up” and “plotted attack”. Pelishek also informed Hall that the DEI group members threatened Todd Wolf at the October 5 meeting after Wolf denied them money from the City. The suit states that Hall asked Pelishek, “Do you recall DEI leaders saying that if Todd didn’t pay them that they would publicly oppose him?” Pelishek responded, “Yes, that was said.”
After the interview, there was a series of events that impacted Pelishek’s wife and children. Pelishek asked to have the record cleared about the meeting where the slur occurred and was denied. At one point Pelishek discussed events with Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook and said it felt like the Common Council was going to allow the false narratives and hostility to continue. He was told that he responded to Rendall-Araujo as a “white man of privilege”. Westbrook told Pelishek, “You are not being discriminated against” and that Pelishek had no “protected status.”
Mayor Sorenson then outsourced some of Pelishek’s job duties and refused to re-appoint him to the Harbor Centre Business Improvement District Board where Pelishek had served for roughly eight years. There were also several “public records” relating to “disciplinary” matters regarding the meeting where the racial slur was mentioned. Pelishek also reported to Filickyi-Peneski that he was being harassed, that he was set up, and that he was being targeted by Rendall-Araujo, Sorenson and Salazar. Filicky-Peneski stated that there was nothing the Common Council could do about this.
The suit details the investigation report from Attorney Hall regarding Todd Wolf. This report stated that Pelishek confirmed he made an unsolicited racial slur, that Todd Wolf told the media about the slur and the public violating Common Council orders, and that Pelishek said there was no threat at the lunch with the DEI group. The suit states that all those statements were factually untrue based on Pelishek’s interview with Hall.
The suit brings claims of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which portents employees from discrimination on the basis of their sex, sexual orientation, race and/or religion. The suit claims a hostile and abusive work environment and disparate treatment. The suit also claims a violation of Fourteenth Amendment rights to equal protection of the law. This prohibits the government from denying employees equal protection for the law based on their race, gender, or protected expressions.
The suit also claims that Pelishek’s first amendment rights under retaliation and prior restraint were violated.
The suit requests relief in declaratory judgements, injunctions, enjoining and permanently restraining the City of Sheboygan from continuing and practicing violations, compensatory damages and punitive damages.
There are no future dates scheduled at this time regarding this suit.
It is important to note that all information presented is based on allegations made in the lawsuit filed by Chad Pelishek. That case is currently before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the court will determine its outcome.
The challenges that Sheboygan faces in poor student achievement at the high schools in the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) and the lack of direction and leadership in the City of Sheboygan’s government have a common denominator in Mary Lynne Donohue. Donohue serves as the current School Board President of the SASD and Co-Chair of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party. Donohue has also previously served on the City of Sheboygan Common Council.
Donohue’s ties to everything happening in Sheboygan are deep. Donohue uses those ties to influence key decisions, and as evidenced in the previous post, she is comfortable advocating for causes by directly emailing the Common Council to publish a Request for Proposal that her organization drafted for the Common Council and would likely compete to secure the funding and contract for executing the work. Donohue’s connections also run into major budgetary decisions made by Sheboygan.
In the 2023 City of Sheboygan budget, the Sheboygan Press published an article on November 3, 2022, discussing the budget. Sheboygan Press reporter Maya Hilty states, “An increase in the budget for Mead Public Library is the largest proposed change in department budgets from 2022 to 2023.” The same article quotes Mead Public Library Board President Maeve Quinn on how the board unanimously approved a wage increase and expressed gratitude for the increased spending in the budget to do so.
Mead Public Library received a greater increase in funding in the 2023 budget than any other department. This increase was larger than the Police Department, Fire Department, and every other department that provides essential services to you as a taxpayer. The Mead Public Library Board President Maeve Quinn is also co-Chair of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party along with Donohue.
The following photograph comes from media reports on December 9, 2022. This illustrates that Donohue was serving as co-Chair of the Sheboygan County Democratic Party with Mead Public Library Board President Maeve Quinn at the same time the library received the largest increase in funding of any department in our city.
Donohue has been involved in the recruitment of Common Council members and has close ties to Mayor Ryan Sorenson. Mayor Sorenson has referred to Donohue as a mentor and, at one time, stated that he views Donohue as his second mother. Donohue’s involvement with the Common Council and Mayor Sorenson led her to be named in a current lawsuit against the City of Sheboygan. She is the only non-City employee or official named in this lawsuit.
When City Administrator Todd Wolf was fired without cause in January, there was a lack of clarity on who would manage the operational responsibilities of the City Administrator due to the vacancy. The Finance and Personnel Committee passed a resolution numbered 153-22-23 that appointed the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee to take on some of the authority of the City Administrator. This was requested by department heads of Sheboygan to ensure day-to-day operations could be maintained and not require the two-week wait for Common Council approval. This went before the Common Council for approval on March 20, 2023.
Alder Amanda Salazar asked for an amendment to the resolution and asked for the body of the Common Council to make changes rather than allow just the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee to make decisions. City of Sheboygan Assistant Attorney Liz Majerus commented that the majority of these decisions would be Human Resources-related and also Finance-related.
Alder Grazia Perella stated that she does not see much of a need for the resolution and does not see any daily tasks or responsibilities that would, in fact, hinder or prevent the Common Council as a whole from making the decision rather than one individual.
Alder Salazar made a motion to file the resolution. This means that the resolution would not be voted on, and the resolution could not be brought up again for one year. It was stated that all decisions would need to come before the Common Council.
On the roll call vote to file the resolution, Alder Mitchell abstained due to being the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee. The motion to file the resolution passed on a 5-4 vote. Alder Roberta Filicky-Peneski voted in favor of the motion to file the resolution. She is the Vice President of the Finance and Personnel Committee, who approved the resolution and sent it to the Common Council with the recommendation for approval. Alder Filicky-Peneski was also the alder that brought the motion forward to the Council for a vote. The resolution was filed and could not be brought forward for a year. The City of Sheboygan moved forward with a lack of clarity and understanding of who was responsible for decisions on the day-to-day operations of running the City of Sheboygan. The understanding was that decisions that the City Administrator was required to make would come before the entire Common Council.
The vote to not identify a decision-maker on the day-to-day operations, leaving the decisions to the entire Common Council, was made with no alternative or options to a request that came from the City of Sheboygan Department Heads to allow the City to function efficiently. The day-to-day operations and the needs of the department heads were referred to by Alder Perella as not needed. She then voted to file the resolution. This shows a lack of understanding of the number of decisions made daily to ensure services are provided to taxpayers. An organization with a $124 million dollar budget and responsible for running a city with 50,000 residents requires efficiency and direction to function. Alder Salazar and Alder Perella demonstrated that they do not have concern or see much of a need for efficiency in daily decision-making power for the City of Sheboygan to provide you with daily services.
Since that vote, there have been multiple requests that have been brought forward to the Finance and Personnel Committee for consideration. Following is a document that was recently submitted and shown for your review:
Under staff comments, it states, “City staff has reviewed the above notice of claim and, under the authorization of the Mayor of Sheboygan, in consultation with the City Attorney and the Finance Department, have denied the notice of claim listed above” Previously, documents reviewed would state the decision made by the City Administrator on these claims In rejecting the resolution that would have allowed the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee to have the authority to make decisions on the day-to-day operations of the city it was agreed that decisions would come before the Common Council.
Mayor Sorenson has now taken the responsibility of some day-to-day decisions from the responsibilities defined in the Municipal Code to the City Administrator. This illustrates that the needs and services of taxpayers are secondary to the power grab of Mayor Sorenson and the members of the Common Council with deep ties to Donohue.
While the day-to-day operations of the City of Sheboygan have been an afterthought, the commitment to Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has been a central focus. Members of the Common Council and Donohue have advocated for a Request for Proposal to be published that was drafted by Donohue. The City’s proposed 5-Year Strategic Plan neglected priorities like Police and Fire Department and, instead, heavily incorporated elements favorable to DEI. That Strategic Plan was denied after public outcry and cost you as a taxpayer $140,000 in lost fees to a consulting company.
Budget priorities from last year, such as a new Firehouse No. 3 and development in the industrial parks have stalled. The City is moving forward with hiring a City Administrator, and the process included explicit directions from Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook that taxpayers like you, who are not City of Sheboygan employees, who attempted to attend would be asked to leave. The presentations by the two finalists for the City Administrator position were referred to as a Stakeholder Presentation. According to Mayor Sorenson, Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook and members of the Common Council, you are not a stakeholder!
Mayor Sorenson has gone rogue in approving and denying claims from residents without oversight from the Common Council. Mayor Sorenson is trampling on City Ordinances by denying resident claims that were previously the responsibility of the City Administrator. Mayor Sorenson has also trampled on the right to Free Speech by not allowing resident complaints to be on the Common Council agenda. This also prevents other residents from sharing their thoughts or opinions due to there not being an agenda item.
Again, Donohue is a major influence with the Common Council, the Mayor, and the SASD.
At a recent SASD Board meeting, Donohue referred to a Wisconsin State Report Card growth formula as “intergalactic” and difficult to explain, while the formula rewards schools that are increasing the academic achievement of students who have been traditionally marginalized by the educational system.
These are people that would benefit from relevant DEI work, work that focused on helping people of color, people with disabilities, and people who are economically disadvantaged. As Chair of the Sheboygan Justice Equity group and an advocate for DEI work, Donohue dismissed another school that is doing better than Sheboygan South in increasing achievement in these marginalized populations.
Under the leadership of Donohue, DEI in Sheboygan has demonstrated a different priority than enriching the lives of marginalized populations.
The following are pictures from Sheboygan South High School’s library of books that had to be removed after public outrage drove the SASD administration and School Board to act. These pictures were in books available to be checked out in a library of a school that was under the governance of School Board President Mary Lynne Donohue. The picture of Mayor Sorenson was from the Pride Event in Sheboygan on June 24 and was published on the Visit Sheboygan Facebook page.
We caution you that some of the images from the books that were available for students in the Sheboygan South High School Library are explicit.
This is what DEI looks like under Mayor Sorenson and School Board President Mary Lynne Donohue!
The City of Sheboygan is currently facing many challenges. There has been recent attention brought to the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) and the academic failures of the high schools. Additionally, the City of Sheboygan’s government is in a pending budget crisis due to the firing of the City Administrator. Furthermore, significant decreases in tax revenue are on the horizon with the expected closing of the power plant. The priorities from last year’s budget are in danger of not being delivered, as the Firehouse 3 project and the development of the industrial parks have stalled.
The filling of the vacant City Administrator position is moving forward with a stakeholder presentation from the two finalists on Monday. HR Director Adam Westbrook communicated to City employees that they would not be able to ask questions and that only City employees would be allowed to attend. The public was entirely eliminated from the hiring process, and Westbrook even informed City employees that if they shared or invited non-employees, they would be asked to leave. Taxpayers like you are not viewed as stakeholders in the hiring of the most important position the City of Sheboygan will hire.
The overall City employee experience has been concerning, as key services like the Human Resources office have been outsourced, and City employees fear sharing concerns due to the risk of being terminated without cause, similar to former City Administrator Todd Wolf. City Hall heavily emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, but day-to-day operations are often overlooked.
The challenges faced by the City of Sheboygan and the Sheboygan Area School District have something in common.
Mary Lynn Donohue has a history of serving the City of Sheboygan. She has served on the Common Council and currently serves as President of the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) School Board.
Donohue previously advocated to the Common Council as the Chair of the Sheboygan Justice Equity group by submitting a Request for Proposal (RFP) to City leadership with the aim to research, identify, and strategize on a process to bring a diverse, equitable, and inclusive structure to City government. Below is a copy of an email that Donohue sent to the Common Council on October 28, 2022, with the subject: “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Issues in the City.”
At the SASD School Board meeting on June 13, 2023, the Board was hearing updates on the strategic plan and the progress of the district. Donohue was referencing concerns regarding the Wisconsin State Report Card Scores of Sheboygan South High School and Green Bay East High School. It has been previously reported that Green Bay East High School has a score of 70.6, which is defined as “Exceeds Expectations,” while Sheboygan South High School has a score of 41.2, which is defined as “Fails to Meet Expectations.”
Donohue expressed concern over how South High School can have higher achievement scores in Reading, Math, and a better graduation rate than Green Bay East High School and stated that she can show many ways that South High School is better than Green Bay East High School.
There was then a discussion of how the report card places emphasis on growth to balance the score and challenges of schools serving populations that are more diverse in ethnicity and economic status. The Department of Public Instruction implemented the growth factor to show the hard work that schools do to improve learning for student groups that face challenges in everyday life. Ms. Donohue referred to this as “some intergalactic growth formula.”
In examining the report card data, this is the definition under the growth section directly from the report card:
“This priority area measures the year-to-year student progress on statewide tests. It uses a value-added model that seeks to control for circumstances beyond the influence of educators. A high-value added score means that on average students in the school are progressing more quickly than other, similar students. Growth is scored from 0 to 100 to match the other priority areas and is a conversion from the roughly 0 to 6 value-added score.”
The growth scores are as follows:
Green Bay East High School: 80.3
Sheboygan South High School: 33.7
The report card then provides data of growth in Reading and Math for groups of students that have been traditionally marginalized by the education system.
Here is a breakdown of a small sample of the data (Scores go from 0-6. The higher the number, the better the score):
Data Retrieved from: https://apps2.dpi.wi.gov/reportcards/ Department of Public Instruction School Report Cards 2021-2022 School Year for Green Bay East High School and Sheboygan South High School
The data illustrates that Green Bay East High School is more successful in serving students of traditionally marginalized populations than Sheboygan South High School. Donohue’s claim that she can show many ways Sheboygan South High School is better than Green Bay East High School is alarming. As Chair of the Sheboygan Justice Equity group, she does not seem to have the ability to analyze data and determine that East High School is outperforming South High School in educating students of marginalized populations.
Donohue did not use her platform as School Board President to advocate for South High School to better serve the needs of students in poverty, students with disabilities, and students of color.
This calls into question Donohue’s expertise in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Donohue also has ties to members of the Common Council and Mayor Ryan Sorenson. She serves as one of the leaders in the local Democratic party. Donohue is involved in the focus on DEI in Sheboygan, and her ties to this are deep. The current version of DEI in the schools and the city government has been prevalent for the last year. Donohue serving as a chair of an organization that is focused on DEI and emailing the Common Council directly to open a request for proposal that her organization drafted is brazen. It is uncommon for an organization seeking to bid on a proposal to submit a draft of a proposal to the Common Council and then follow up to encourage the Common Council to publish the request for proposal.
This brazen nature illustrates the connection of Donohue to members of the Common Council and to Mayor Sorenson.
The City of Sheboygan is operating with no structure or leadership currently on key issues like the official budget process, strategic plan, and completion of budget priorities from the current year. The City has no defined process on who can approve spending or sign-off on key measures in the absence of a City Administrator. The City of Sheboygan is currently on a path of fiscal uncertainty that will impact you soon, following the significant increases in property assessments you recently received!
Donohue is connected to current City leadership and is School Board President of the SASD. Donohue is also so closely connected to the City of Sheboygan government that she is named in a pending lawsuit regarding the termination without cause of former City Administrator Todd Wolf. The connection is even stronger in that Donohue was initially being represented in that case by City of Sheboygan Attorney Chuck Adams.
Would City of Sheboygan Attorney Chuck Adams represent any other private citizen of Sheboygan in a court case?
The serious concerns expressed on this site about student achievement at the high schools in the SASD and the corruption at City Hall have one common denominator… Mary Lynn Donohue.
Over the last six weeks, we have uncovered continuing issues at city hall. In our final edition of this series, we lay out what we have discovered as it pertains to an ongoing pattern of unethical and at times corrupt behavior.
Part 6, Corruption at City Hall: Mayor Sorenson’s Misguided Focus for You and Sheboygan
Corruption at City Hall Mayor Sorenson posed for a picture with the group Sisters for Perpetual Indulgence. He was operating in his official capacity as mayor, wearing a nametag that identified him as mayor of Sheboygan. The picture was posted on the Visit Sheboygan Facebook page and received 29 comments, many of which were critical of Sheboygan and the mayor. Mayor Sorenson could have removed it within hours, but the post remained on the Visit Sheboygan Facebook page for ten days. This post violates the ethics policy in the City of Sheboygan Municipal Code by not exhibiting behavior above reproach.
Some have incorrectly labeled this concern regarding Mayor Sorenson as an attack on the Pride event or the LGBTQ community. The concern is not about either but, rather, Mayor Sorenson’s decision to pose for a picture while operating in his official capacity as mayor with a group that mocks and attacks the Catholic Religion. The mocking of the religion of many Sheboygan residents and City employees is the concern.
Second, Mayor Sorenson’s removal of a citizen complaint from the Common Council agenda is a clear violation of the First Amendment right of a Sheboygan resident. Mayor Sorenson trampled on the right to free speech of a Sheboygan resident!
Chaos at City Hall Mayor Sorenson manages the day-to-day operations of our City as an afterthought. His focus on the DEI agenda has become an obstacle. Mayor Sorenson and eight of the ten members of the Common Council (not Alders Mitchell and Heidemann) decided to fire the City Administrator, which led to resignations in other key departments. Mayor Sorenson lists himself as the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Sheboygan on his website. With the absence of a City Administrator, Mayor Sorenson is the Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for running our City.
A good example is the negotiations between the City of Sheboygan and Aurora to purchase land owned by Aurora next to the Police Department as the site for a new firehouse. The current fire station on North 25th Street is not large enough to house the new models of fire trucks. There are no separate sleeping quarters or bathrooms for female firefighters, and it does not meet the requirements for the Americans with Disabilities Act. A study showed that the site next to the Police Department was the ideal location for increased safety for Sheboygan residents.
These negotiations for the City of Sheboygan to purchase the site from Aurora were being managed by City Administrator Todd Wolf and Director of Planning and Development Chad Pelishek. With Wolf’s firing without cause by the eight of ten Common Council members and following resignation of Pelishek, no one at City Hall has the skillset to negotiate this crucial agreement with Aurora.
Aurora has gotten the upper hand on Sheboygan before. Due to ineffective leadership in the Sheboygan Area School District, the new hospital was stripped from the City of Sheboygan and built on Kohler land. This cost the City property tax revenue going forward and a free multi-million-dollar youth athletic facility for the children of Sheboygan. What is Mayor Sorenson doing to protect your tax dollars while increasing the safety of Sheboygan with a new firehouse that meets the needs of all City employees?
Fear at City Hall Reports from City employees paint a grim picture of the employee experience under Mayor Sorenson. It was shared that the Human Resources (HR) office used to have staff that would help City employees deal with important and personal issues. There is no remaining staff in the HR office to assist City employees. If an employee needs to process an FMLA request, the city has outsourced that to a private company due to staffing issues in the HR office. It was stated, “Rather than talking to my employer for personal issues that require FMLA leaves, I must talk to somebody I have never met at some company I know nothing about.”
City employees also expressed that during their training from HR Director Adam Westbrook, they were instructed that they cannot jokingly make fun of themselves because another individual could hear that and take offense to the comment, which could then lead to a harassment complaint. An employee stated “We are instructed that we cannot joke about ourselves due to harassment complaints, but the mayor can pose for pictures making jokes about my religion.” The added stress of poor management, no planning, fear of termination, and a skillset that is lacking has all led to a toxic environment for our City’s employees.
Speaking to this point, several City employees have also reached out informing Take Back Sheboygan County that they will not voice employment concerns due to fear of being terminated without cause like the previous City Administrator. An employee stated, “If you have ten years in, there is too much to lose by sharing your concerns with how they treated Todd Wolf and others.”
If City employees are looking for a voice, please reach out to Take Back Sheboygan County to share your concerns. As always, your confidentiality will be closely guarded unless we are specifically informed otherwise.
Costly Mistakes at City Hall It was also brought forward that the development of the industrial parks has slowed under Mayor Sorenson’s watch. There have been no announcements regarding businesses looking to build locations in the industrial parks. The City of Sheboygan incurred tremendous costs to build the infrastructure like roads and sewers for the industrial parks. Payment of those costs is due in the coming years, and if there is not revenue generated by development, the City will have to borrow money or pull money from the general fund to make those payments.
These are real issues that will impact you as a resident and taxpayer in Sheboygan!
The City is facing expensive litigations and just had to transfer $50,000 from the general fund to the Human Resources budget due to increased litigation expenses that were not budgeted for in the current budget. Mayor Sorenson’s reckless behavior along with eight of the ten members of the Common Council caused this increased spending of your tax dollars!
A recent 5-year Strategic Plan cost $140,000 due to the use of a consulting firm but was then voted down. The Strategic Plan included a heavy focus on DEI plans and integration while neglecting significant planning for essential services like the Police and Fire Departments. Due to public outcries, the Common Council had no choice but to reject the plan. That was $140,000 of your tax money thrown away by Mayor Sorenson and eight of the ten members of the Common Council!
Just those two examples show $190,000 of your tax dollars that Mayor Sorenson has mismanaged!
Most residents just received new assessment information on their properties. The city states that property taxes will not increase due to the new assessments. With this mismanagement of the daily operations of the city, it is just a matter of time before the taxpayers take on the financial burden.
The concern is not about the Pride Event or the LGBTQ community. The concern is about Mayor Sorenson posing for a picture making fun of the Catholic faith and trampling on the First Amendment rights of a citizen who voiced a concern. Mayor Sorenson and eight of the ten members of the Common Council are so focused on DEI that they are neglecting the day-to-day operations of the City that will cost you in the quality of service you receive and money spent as a taxpayer!
You must act now to voice your concerns regarding the mismanagement by Mayor Sorenson and eight of ten members of the Common Council. (Alders Mitchell and Heidemann are NOT part of these concerns!)
Take Back Sheboygan County 