An Illinois town is having its funds withheld due to the administration of its scandal-plagued, self-proclaimed “Super Mayor.”
All “offset” funds to the Village of Dolton have been suspended by Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza who said Democrat Mayor Tiffany Henyard “refuses” to follow the law and turn over financial records.
Annual reports, including financial statements, audits, and Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) reports have not been submitted by Henyard in the last two years, according to Fox 32 Chicago.
“When municipalities around Illinois are having legitimate problems filing their annual reports with us, based on staffing or other issues, we earnestly work with them to get them into compliance,” Mendoza said in a statement. “Dolton is different. The Mayor’s office has refused to communicate with us or address the problem. If Mayor Henyard refuses to follow state law, my office will use the tools at our disposal to safeguard the interests of Dolton’s citizens.”
(Video Credit: CBS News Chicago)
Dolton was reportedly facing financial hardship already and the projected $135,000 in offset funds from Mendoza’s office, more than last year’s $120,000 received, would have helped the troubled town.
“If Dolton continues failing to file reports, we will initiate forced audits and fines,” Mendoza’s office said. “Our office can assess fines of approximately $7,000 per year per unfiled report, totaling $78,600 for Dolton as of today. That would be in addition to the roughly $135,000 the Village of Dolton could lose in offset fines our office sends the village on an annual basis if its administration does not resume filing reports.”
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests were unable to be processed, according to Village Clerk Allison Key, because Village Administrator Keith Freeman “has instructed department heads not to reply to any FOIA request” that she submitted.
Henyard, who was elected in 2021, has “been missing in action since multiple controversies and investigations by local and federal agencies have surfaced,” according to Fox 32.
On Monday, Deputy Chief Lewis Lacey was federally indicted on bankruptcy fraud and other charges and, though the mayor’s police department ally was placed on administrative leave by trustees, he has still reportedly been coming to work.
Henyard ordered officers to continue following orders from her handpicked police chief in a video obtained by WGN.
(Video Credit: WGN)
“Stop playing these silly games,” Henyard is heard saying in a meeting.
“Do what you want but anything after this is insubordination,” Lacey said.
Meanwhile, Mendoza’s office is indicating its willingness to help the rest of Dolton’s government get back on track with its reporting.
“We would be happy to resume disbursements of fine collections referred to our office but will not do so until they file the overdue reports,” the office said in a press release.
In a statement following the comptroller’s decision, the Trustees of Dolton said they “take this matter seriously and are committed to transparency and accountability.”
“We demand the finance department to take immediate steps to rectify the situation and ensure that all necessary documentation is filed promptly,” they said, according to Fox 32.
“Our priority is to stabilize the village’s finances and restore trust in our administration. We will continue to keep our residents informed as more information becomes available,” the statement continued. “Your trust and support are invaluable as we navigate this challenging time, and we pledge to maintain open communication throughout this process.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
- ‘What’s wrong with you people?’ Sen. Josh Hawley unloads on Intel exec over Chinese slave labor - September 11, 2024
- Joe Rogan asks whether ‘more violence’ will follow Trump win or Kamala win? - September 11, 2024
- Passengers forced to deplane after two Delta Airlines aircraft collide on taxiway in Atlanta - September 11, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.