Bob Ryan (mayor)

In December 2009, former City of Sheboygan Human Resources Director Angela Payne filed a complaint with the Equal Rights Division of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development alleging sexual harassment and racial discrimination.[7] She alleged that on July 9, 2009 Ryan attempted to kiss her and made sexual advances.[8] On August 6, Ryan fired Payne[8] for what he called "unsatisfactory services".[9] She had been recently hired by previous mayor Juan Perez and was in her probationary period during which the mayor could fire her without permission of the city council.[10] Ryan said the firing was the result of numerous department heads approaching him, detailing Payne's shortcomings in a meeting and asking that she be terminated.[10]

An equal rights officer with the Department of Workforce Development who investigated the complaint found Payne's allegations of sexual harassment credible, recommending a formal hearing before an administrative law judge.[11] The investigator dismissed the claim of racial discrimination.[11] A cash settlement in the case was announced in August 2011.[12]

On July 26, 2011, The Sheboygan Press reported that on July 23 Ryan got into a physical altercation in Elkhart Lake with someone who confronted him for drinking.[13] A few days later, Ryan admitted he was getting treatment for alcoholism.[14] Ryan pleaded guilty in February 2013 for groping a woman in a bar.[15] In September 2011, the city Common Council voted to hire two attorneys to remove Ryan from office.[16]

In August 2011,[17] residents organized a February 2012 recall election,[18] gathering enough petition signatures to force a ballot.[19] Ryan did not appeal the petition and was automatically entered as a candidate in the election against him, with seven other candidates.[20] Ryan received the most votes (33%) in the first round and survived to a runoff against former state representative Terry Van Akkeren (26%).[20] On February 21, 2012, Van Akkeren defeated Ryan (53% to 47%) in the recall election.[21] Ryan left office on March 5, 2012.[22]

On March 3, 2013 Ryan was arrested for drunk driving near Kiel.[23] While being transported to the Manitowoc County Jail, he commented that he wished the female Manitowoc police officer had arrested him, stating she was "hot" and "smoking".[15] Ryan was charged with an OWI after his blood alcohol level was tested; it was his first citation for drunk driving.[24] He reached a plea agreement of a lesser charge of operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration in July 2013; he received a fine and had his driver's license revoked for eight months.[25]