Thornton Township, Ill. (ECWd) –
Thornton Township was scheduled to hold it public meeting last night, but things didn’t turn out as they should have.
Upon arriving for the meeting, residents and media were forced into the basement by Tiffany Henyard’s “security” based on a lie that the meeting was in the basement. Additionally, one trustee was locked out of the meeting room until the moment it began, and the residents and media present for the meeting were not permitted in the room – although there were plenty of empty seats.
Henyard never ensured the audio and video worked in the overflow room and did not permit public comment.
This equates, in our opinion, to an illegal closed session meeting in which public business was conducted, and this meeting should be declared in violation of law with all actions taken voided.
It is apparent Tiffany Henyard is feeling the heat of recent local, national, and international news of her embarrassing, outrageous antics as township supervisor and village mayor.
Meetings must be public; nothing can be voted on except during a public meeting and shutting people out of a “public” meeting constitutes an illegal closed meeting. She knows better but will apparently do what she wants until she is in handcuffs.
Here is an email sent to us from a township resident who showed up for the meeting and was denied entrance:
“I attended a Thornton Township board meeting tonight. The meeting was scheduled to start at 6pm. I arrived around 5:55. When I walked inside, there was a security guard standing at the bottom of the stairs that go up to the board room. I was directed downstairs. I asked him if the meeting was downstairs today he relied yes. I walked down and sat for a few mins before I looked around and realized that the room was not set up for a board meeting. I asked if anyone knew if this was the over flow room. No on knew. There were about 4-5 residents there, 2 guys from the media, and a few of her employees. I went back up to the security guard and asked him how I was supposed to sign up for public comments. He said he didn’t know. I asked him to go find out because myself and a few other residents downstairs want to sign in. He came back down and said that someone will bring it down.
I went back downstairs and told the residents that they would bring the sign in sheet down. After about 5-7 mins a township employee comes down. I know him so I asked him why he was not up in the board room. He stated that the meeting was over already. It was only like 4 mins long.
A few minutes later Trustee Chris Gonzalez comes down and I asked him what happened. He said that he didn’t even know there were people downstairs until the meeting was over. He said that they made him stand in the hallway outside the Board room until exactly 6pm then they opened the door, let him in and closed the door behind him. I asked him why the couldn’t come up? Who was in the seats that took up the entire board room? He told me that there were 4 employees in the chairs and that was it.
So they had an entire board meeting without letting us in a room that wasn’t full? There was no video and no audio downstairs. And We weren’t allowed to speak?
This type of government can’t be acceptable. The attorney general needs to step in.“
21 Comments
Brian K Anderson
Posted at 08:35h, 14 FebruaryWell darn, I was waiting for this month’s episode of How the Township Turns!!!!
Todd Milliron
Posted at 11:35h, 14 FebruaryClearly, No Provisions for Public Comment and Public Meeting held with the Meeting Chamber Door Closed and No Citizen Access to this scheduled meeting constitutes an Illegal Meeting, Call the Foul, and ask for RFR promptly, 60-day clock is running.
Mark
Posted at 13:54h, 14 FebruaryGonzales is on the outs with the Queen of the Township; good job by him to not going along with her nonsense. He’s been in politics long enough to know (“Z Team” guy except for when he allegedly bucked the party once to win Township Assessor some years ago). He might be the last man standing when the Feds swoop in.
Brad VanHoose
Posted at 15:44h, 14 FebruarySounds like The Billage of Caseyville…..
Mia Ford
Posted at 19:17h, 14 FebruaryThis is truly ridiclous! Get her removed asap.
Jerry Strong
Posted at 21:54h, 14 FebruaryShe was arrested in 2016 for breaking into cars. The township was desperate to be relevant they rode the me too movement they chose her based on politics. The township and residence realized they made a huge mistake and all tried to recall her a year after putting her in office at that point some seasoned politicians that were on their way out got their hooks into her and taught her how to manipulate the system so that she paid off the right people and ended up with a judgment in her favor that was completely unexpected to happen. Reality is when people really dig deep this person had no business being in politics in any way shape or form and she was a puppet that turned against its creator.
Lee Jouglard
Posted at 05:33h, 15 FebruaryWow, jail time coming
Olman Acuna
Posted at 06:21h, 15 FebruaryIs the reincarnation of Hitler. She got to be put in jail.
Suzette Allen
Posted at 09:13h, 15 FebruaryWOW!!! My sister live their,What a mess To many politicians Have got caught with their Hands in the cookie Jar???? ALL MUNICIPALITY SHOULD BE CHECKED ?? Why DOLTON N WHY NOW??????????? W
Freddie Scruggs
Posted at 15:43h, 15 FebruaryWith all the illegal spending of tax payers and everything else she has done to bankrupt the village, why doesn’t someone with authority do something about her, and get her out of office.
Jodi Mounts
Posted at 18:41h, 15 FebruaryI don’t even live in Dalton and even I can see y’all are being done dirty. I’ve been following Tyrant Tiffany I mean Mayor Henyard’s wrong-doings on social media for quite some time now.
Ms. Henyard needs to be blessed with the presence of someone of a higher authority. Namely someone who will snatch those keys and “power” away from this mayor before she ruins anymore lives of innocent Dalton residents.
T
Posted at 19:43h, 15 FebruaryIn all my years watching chicago area politics she is a disgrace to our ethic group as a black female in power to represent black people. Things don’t last forever. Enjoy it while you have it.
KRA
Posted at 22:22h, 15 FebruaryEvery cop in that department needs to be removed and arrested and charged as well. They’re out of control and playing like they’re her personal secret service. What the hell is happing to this country?
Nicholas Dale
Posted at 22:38h, 15 FebruaryDid you guys file an OMA violation Request for Review with the Public Access Counselor?
Hugh Janus
Posted at 00:51h, 16 FebruaryI’m waiting to see whether Dolton police cars get repo’d!
Need to grab some video if that happens!
Javier Carrillo
Posted at 03:35h, 16 FebruaryWhy is the F.B.I not putting a stop to this immediately?
Phillip Rendon
Posted at 15:55h, 16 FebruaryThey need to get rid of that lady If that’s what you wanna call her, she is corrupt And out of control how she’s getting away with it, I’ll never know.
Craig Barson
Posted at 13:12h, 17 FebruaryThis mayor is going right to prison, where she belongs,with all her cronies, why are the FBI and federal government letting this corruption go on,do they want this town to go completely broke,she needs to pay back every single penny she took from the citizens she stole and then be put in handcuffs and sent to prison!
Nodeed
Posted at 16:57h, 17 FebruaryShe’s a thief and a dirt bag. They fixed up up for show. When I worked there and she was a board member she bought and sold drugs, she was dirty all the time and hair never combed. I was shocked to find out she was on the board of trustees or even worked anywhere looking and acting as she did. I reported her and also the officer who was later fired due to domestic violence against his ex wife. Both times I was told to basically “stay out of it”. She definitely won’t stop until she’s in handcuffs. She thinks she’s invincible..so childish and immature. Greed will be her downfall.
John Q Public
Posted at 17:10h, 17 FebruaryFrom thief to mayor in five years pretty good turnaround, Tiffany! Now you’re just ripping off your poor constituents! Somebody put a stop to this farce! Arrest her! 280k a year job?! she shouldn’t be waiting tables at Jack-in-the-Box!
Robert Brown
Posted at 00:33h, 18 FebruaryWow lock her up