DOLTON, Ill. (CBS) — In south suburban Dolton, some folks have been left asking who's operating the city.
This comes after a decide put a cease to Mayor Tiffany Henyard's plans to nominate new village leaders on her personal, in an order granted Wednesday. Cook County Judge Thaddeus Wilson's order included an injunction that prohibits Henyard from making appointments with out the consent of the village board of trustees, and a restraining order prohibits any of her appointees from taking workplace.
Henyard had appointed a brand new village supervisor, village lawyer, and police chief—none of whom can take workplace with the ruling now in place.
On Thursday, a day after the ruling was issued, there have been no indicators of Henyard—who was already underneath investigation for her dealing with of Dolton village funds.
“I've been covering government in Northern Illinois for more than 40 years, and I've never seen anything like this,” mentioned David Greising, president and chief government officer of the Better Government Association. “This has been a slow-moving train wreck for months.”
Judge Wilson's ruling Wednesday was a win in court docket for some village trustees.
“The trustees are trying to take back their city from a rogue mayor,” Greising mentioned.
But who's operating the village—now with no village supervisor, village lawyer and police chief as a result of Henyard appointed all of them with out board consent?
“The trustees, when they can get a quorum, are the ones running Dolton,” Greising mentioned.
All of this follows former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot coming in as a particular investigator right here in Dolton—revealing the village's normal fund had a detrimental steadiness of $3.65 million. That was after a restricted examination of Dolton's funds.
Lightfoot was initially employed by trustees involved about Henyard's spending. The accusations relating to Henyard's spending embody self-promoting taxpayer funded billboards, advertisements, and spending on lavish dinners and journeys.
Lightfoot discovered $40,000 spent on Amazon purchases in someday. This cash is unaccounted for.
But former Mayor Lightfoot will not be the one one investigating. The FBI can be conducting an investigation at Dolton Village Hall—with out elaborating on who's being investigated.
Regardless, Henyard should cooperate if and when the FBI asks questions on village funds.
Greising mentioned the cash troubles in Dolton are removed from over.
“The aftermath of this mayor's conduct is going to be a bill the residents of Dolton have to deal with for many years to come,” he mentioned.
CBS News Chicago reached out to all of the Dolton villages trustees Thursday, however none of them have responded to requests for remark.
