*Dolton, Ill. Mayor Tiffany Henyard is at the center of trouble regarding a lack of transparency over her spending of the village’s funds.
According to NBC Chicago, concerns stem from unpaid bills. Officials tell the outlet that late loan payments could result in six cars being repossessed, along with six more vehicles from the Public Works department.
Commenting on the situation Village Trustee Brittny Norwood said the mayor has been evasive in terms of opening the village’s books. The last time they were able to see the information, the picture wasn’t pretty, she added.
“A few months ago, we were $7 million in debt,” Norwood revealed.
Henyard’s response to the situation has amounted to months of dismissing questions on how she has spent taxpayer dollars. In addition, a separate lawsuit finds her at war with Dolton’s former police chief, who alleges he was improperly terminated.
Henyard’s antics are the latest debacle involving her time as mayor. Reporting on Henyard, media sources revealed Henyard has hired a PR firm to improve Dolton’s image. With that comes questions over trips taken to Las Vegas and New York, NBC Chicago noted. The station goes on to note how the village paid for billboards promoting the mayor, who makes close to $300,000 per year in salary serving as mayor and a Thornton Township supervisor.
During a Dolton Village board meeting on Feb. 5, Dolton further showed out, telling the Board of Trustees “I am your leader.” In addition, folks who have done work for the city brought their concerns to the same meeting, asking when they will be paid for their work, which was done over the last six months.
As for the car loans, Village Trustee Jason House highlighted other issues, telling NBC Chicago, “I’ve received no less than 10 messages from different vendors, every time I turn them over to the mayor’s office and it really falls on deaf ears.”
Comments from Trustee Kiana Belch added to House’s view as she voiced how Henyard’s unwillingness to reveal information is a mark against what the board’s responsibilities are.
“It’s on the back of the mayor,” Belch told NBC Chicago. “We are the legislative body, she wants us to do our job, because she says we never do our job. Our job is to make sure the finances are in order and she’s not allowing us to do our job.”
Needless to say, Henyard’s money issues have caught the eye of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, which ordered Dolton to release spending records. No word yet on the status of that request.
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