In a move that has stirred controversy in the Village of Dolton, Mayor Tiffany Henyard proceeded with the appointment of a new village administrator and a new village attorney, even as the regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting was canceled due to insufficient attendance from the trustees, ABC7 Chicago reported. This action comes amid accusations that Henyard has repeatedly violated the Open Meetings Act, with the Illinois Attorney General's office issuing a "binding opinion" demanding that future meetings be open and more accessible to the public.
Despite the absence of quorum which typically renders such appointments debatable, Henyard appointed Michael Smith as the new village administrator replacing Keith Freeman who was indicted for bankruptcy fraud, yet Freeman continues to serve as if his dismissal—announced by Henyard on August 5—was never sanctioned by the trustees who are divided on their stance towards Henyard's leadership, and her recent decisions have only fanned the flames of discord within Dolton's Governing body. Dolton Trustee Jason House contested that the appointments made by Henyard are invalid and emphasized that the appointees would not be compensated, as per the village's rules and the requirement for majority trustee approval according to his interview with ABC7 Chicago.
Beau Brindley, an attorney for Mayor Henyard, has hit back at the trustees calling them "corrupt," alleging that they are usurping the mayor's authority and dubbing their actions as "political corruption of the worst kind," he further stated that Henyard is "under attack by a corrupt board of trustees that believe they can subvert the will of the people," in a statement obtained by Chicago Tribune. Despite federal authorities issuing subpoenas concerning Henyard's financial dealings, Brindley insists that the mayor has not been charged and has not committed any crimes.
Mayor Henyard spent a significant portion of Tuesday's gathering discussing her achievements and advocating for change in the community saying "we ought to fight now to take our community back" and promising to deliver a "State of the Village" address to address "misinformation," according to Chicago Tribune. Meanwhile, on the flip side, trustees opposed to Henyard have called out her handling of village funds and have expressed concerns about Dolton's financial health, given the lack of a discussed or adopted budget for the fiscal year 2025 which commenced on May 1.
As tensions continue to escalate in the Village of Dolton, residents and observers alike are waiting to see how this local government standoff will unfold. The next scheduled board meeting set for September 12 will likely bring additional debates over Mayor Henyard's recent appointments and her administration's adherence to the Open Meetings Act.
