The political landscape in Dolton, Illinois, continues to be turbulent as embattled Mayor Tiffany Henyard, facing accusations of financial misconduct, held a board meeting on Tuesday, despite its postponement by trustees. This action further escalated the ongoing feud between the mayor and the village board.
The trustees had decided to postpone the meeting until September 12th to address urgent matters such as finalizing the village budget, establishing a new bank account, and hiring a new auditor. However, Henyard’s attorney argued the postponement was illegal due to a lack of proper notice and claimed it hindered the mayor’s ability to perform her duties.
Despite lacking a quorum, with only two trustees present, Henyard proceeded with the meeting. She appointed new village staff, including a new village attorney and village administrator, although one of these roles was already filled. These appointments are likely invalid due to the lack of a quorum.
The meeting comes amidst a series of controversies surrounding the mayor. Henyard has been accused of misusing public funds, with a preliminary report by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot revealing a significant drop in Dolton’s general fund balance and excessive spending by Henyard, including purchases on Amazon, Target, Walgreens, Wayfair and other retailers. The report indicated a $33,000 Amazon purchase by Henyard on January 5th, 2023.
Despite these allegations, Henyard insists she has cleaned up the village and promised a State of the Village address in the near future.
Adding to the growing list of issues, an ongoing FBI investigation into Henyard’s alleged misuse of public funds continues. Lewis A. Lacey, the former deputy chief of police of Dolton and an ally of Henyard, was indicted on bankruptcy fraud charges this month.
The conflict over the Tuesday meeting coincided with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issuing a binding opinion that Dolton had repeatedly violated the Open Meetings Act this summer. He found that Henyard and the village board failed to make their June 3 and July 1 meetings accessible to the public.
The political turmoil in Dolton highlights a significant challenge for the town and its residents. As the allegations against Mayor Henyard continue to unfold, it remains to be seen how the village will address the financial and political instability it faces.
