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John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs News

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AG: Dolton SD-149 held improper emergency meeting – No emergency existed

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Mar 29, 2023

The Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor (“PAC”) issued a determination letter affirming that the Dolton School District #149 held an improper emergency meeting, and held it electronically, on November 29, 2022 when there was no bona fide emergency.

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Senator, mayors urge “no” vote on Thornton Township tax increase referendum

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Mar 29, 2023

After months of inappropriate spending, including township taxpayers subsidizing the Village of Dolton and Tiffany Henyard’s “nonprofit” through the use of the township credit card by Supervisor Henyard, and her signing township checks to pay her alleged nonprofit and other invoices incurred by the village of Dolton, Henyard seeks to institute a new tax for mental health services.

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Thornton Township “authorized” illegal additional compensation to trustees

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Mar 29, 2023

Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard has once again caused the township trustees to take action on something they should never had taken action on, and the Trustees who voted in favor of this unauthorized compensation should vote to reconsider it at the next meeting and vote it down.

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Senator Harris alleges Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard lied about endorsements

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Mar 29, 2023

https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2023/02/senator-harris-alleges-dolton-mayor-tiffany-henyard-lied-about-endorsements/

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Thornton Township sued; Failing to produce public records under FOIA

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Jan 24, 2023

Thornton Township, headed up by Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard, was sued in Cook County Circuit Court today alleging violations of the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) on several occasions.

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Four Calumet Park SD 132 candidates withdraw from election after objections filed

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Jan 12, 2023

Election petitions were turn in for candidates for the Calumet Park School District 132 and four of them had petition objections filed against them:

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Dolton SD 149 received scathing letter: You are clearly driven only by corrupt motives – lust for petty political retaliation

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Jan 6, 2023

Edgar County Watchdogs, Edgar County Watchdogs of Edgar County Watchdogs, Edgar County Watchdogs said Dolton SD 149 received scathing letter: You are clearly driven only by corrupt motives – lust for petty political retaliation on Jan 6th.

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Dolton Mayor Henyard facing five FOIA lawsuits; More on the way

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Dec 9, 2022

Dolton Mayor Henyard facing five FOIA lawsuits; More on the way

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Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s Tro denied. Henyard cannot sign checks

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Nov 6, 2022

Arguments were heard during a Hearing for a TRO filed by Henyard to stay a new ordinance removing her from bank account and check signature authority. Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s request for Emergency TRO DENIED. No irreparable injury. Remedy at law not inadequate. No allegation trustees overstepped any authority. Court Ordered trustees cannot pay bills without the Mayor submitting warrant list and approval by board of trustees. Trustees cannot add to the warrant list without Mayoral approval and later board approval. Access to bank account by trustees limited to signature authority. Mayor will not have signatory authority and cannot make payments. Trustees cannot transfer funds between accounts. All parties to work with the bank to change or correct any alleged unfettered access. Trustees wait for any Mayoral veto after board approval and prior to actual payment is made. Order to remain in place until the actual plenary hearing or trial/judgment on pleadings. Option to “cure” the procedural defect in veto override of current ordinance given, with no effect on this Order. Trustee’s Motion for Sanction not heard in Court today. Trustees indicated they would not pursue the sanctions motion. We will post the actual Court Order when we receive it. Next court date scheduled for status in approximately 60 days – December 19, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. Discussion notes from today’s Hearing (not a complete record, simply notes of the discussions): Henyard’s attorney: This would be a total break-down in government, and no checks and balances Trustees recently issued a check Clerk complained about the taking and using of her signature stamp Ordinance improperly passed because they did not properly override the Mayor’s veto Judge mentioned May 8, 2021, resolution is the “Status Quo” which requires signature of both Mayor and Clerk. Trustees claim Mayor violated this resolution. Henyard agrees on status quo date Not advocating any law be violated – but don’t want this solution Suggest a Court Order to comply with the “Status Quo” resolution (The Illinois Municipal Code) J: Fair question raised on the override of veto – could it be put in an Order subject to Contempt of Court. Trustee’s attorney: Fearful of going back to the May 8, 2021, resolution will not solve the problem because she continued to violate the resolution, and the Clerk’s stamp was used without her authority and then Mayor simply signed checks on her own Very day of last hearing, Mayor signed three checks to unapproved vendors for more than $10,000 Believe they will be back in front of Judge for contempt motions Bills approved by the board have not been paid Filed a Motion for Sanctions based off the agreed temporary order Suggests an Order requiring three people sign check: Mayor, Clerk, and Senior Trustees as a compromise – all payment must be approved by the board J: Concerned with Board of Trustees with total, unfettered control of bank accounts Henyard disagrees with the three-signature addition Henyard still wants status quo of the May 8, 2021, resolution Trustees suggest an agreed order – Judge suggested a co-obligation to agree on an order J: Concerned the new Ordinance did not properly override the veto. Says the board could do it properly Trustees do not believe there was any defect in their motion to override the veto, and it was on the agenda. A technical or procedural defect does not affect the validity of the action J: Because this issue is so extraordinary, it must be properly done (with not procedural defects) – must be proper without underlying fundamental technical defects which could undermine the work of the attorneys and the court Trustees claim the Motion was proper to override veto, and it was on the agenda, voted, and passed May 2021 Resolution: Two signatures – Clerk and Mayor New Ordinance Discussion: No checks written without the Mayor submitting them as a warrant list to the board, and trustee and Clerk only signatories. Henyard disagrees, saying Trustees can add to the warrant list. If trustees cannot, or say they won’t, ad to warrant list, then the proper checks and balance would still be there. Trustees agree the board will not be added to the warrant list without Mayoral approval. They also agree to wait five days between approval of bill and actual payment – to permit the Mayor to veto the bill if she chooses. Henyard still wants to go back to the 2021 Resolution. Veto can only happen at “regular” meetings. Trustees agreed to wait. Henyard claims it would still be operating under invalid ordinance because of numerous special meetings called which include payment of corporate bills. Trustees agree they would not continue that process of bill payment without Mayoral warrant list. Henyard claims the trustees and clerk have full administrator access to the fifth/third account. Trustees agree nothing would be paid without Mayoral warrant list and without board approval, and that the only change at the bank was signatory authority – meaning the Mayor and village administrator have complete access to the records of the account, just not signature authority. Henyard wants trustee and clerk only as signatory – not complete access to the account. Court is allowing alleged invalid ordinance to continue. Still wants the TRO to stay enforcement of the new Ordinance. J: With the trustee agreements on all three concerns, it basically usurped the Mayor’s stated claims. Judge: No irreparable injury. Remedy at law not inadequate. No allegation trustees overstepped any authority. TRO DENIED.

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Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s $million security detail

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Nov 6, 2022

Since May of 2021, Tiffany Henyard, Mayor of Dolton, Illinois has had her personal security detail follow her around nearly 24 hours a day. The three individuals indicated in Dolton’s response to a FOIA request are Village employees (click name to view payroll) Kori Wright, Terry Young, and William Reed. Payroll has exceeded $258,000 paid by Dolton taxpayers between May of 2021 and September of 2022. At this rate, the Dolton taxpayers will have paid more than one million dollars for her “security” detail over the life of her 4-year term of office. We doubt this includes all of the other police officers often seen accompanying her and the use of village vehicles and township vehicles as her security.

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Tiffany Henyard and the art of improperly commingling public funds/resources

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Oct 24, 2022

Tiffany Henyard’s rampant commingling of public funds, property, and personnel is nothing less than a contractual relationship, albeit an unwritten relationship, between two local governments spearheaded by the same person elected to head both units of local government.

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Federal civil rights suit filed; Dolton Village, Mayor Henyard, others named defendants; Allegations of first amendment retaliation and other civil rights violations

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Sep 22, 2022

Two Plaintiffs filed suit in the Federal Court, Northern District of Illinois, naming the Village of Dolton, Mayor Tiffany Henyard, Dolton police officer Lacy and unknown Dolton police officers.

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Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard violated civil rights of residents

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Sep 22, 2022

Prior to last night’s Dolton Village board meeting, Mayor Tiffany Henyard thought it was a good idea to violate the rights of a citizen attempting to attend the public meeting of the village of Dolton.

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College threatened to cancel good burger contract over unsanitary conditions

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Sep 7, 2022

South Suburban College threatened to cancel its contract with “Good Burger” which is owned by Tiffany Henyard who is also the Mayor of Dolton (for now) and Thornton Township Supervisor.

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Tiffany Henyard’s Good Burger 'not in good standing' with Secretary of State

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Sep 7, 2022

We previously wrote about Tiffany Henyard’s bounced check to the South Suburban College for the past due commissions her company, Good Burger,” owed the college under contract.

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Tiffany Henyard bounced check to south suburban college; unpaid for 33 months

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Sep 6, 2022

Tiffany Henyard, Mayor of Dolton, Thornton Township Supervisor, and owner of “Good Burger,” has apparently been having trouble keeping her Good Burger company above water lately.

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Thornton Twp’s fraudulent police license plates confiscated by Sec. of State

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Aug 26, 2022

Our previous article referenced a complaint I sent to the Director of the Secretary of State Police (read it here) alleging fraudulent Municipal Police license plates and police equipment on two Thorton Township vehicles when the township does not have a police department.

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Thornton Twp supervisor’s fake police vehicles should be confiscated

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs | Aug 25, 2022

People should be able to trust that those operating vehicles displaying Municipal Police license plates and police equipment such as the lights used to pull people over, that there are legitimate law enforcement officers behind the wheel. Fake police cars further erode trust in the police. This is what is happening in Thornton Township.