Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard on Wednesday pushed by way of “non permanent” 30-day appointments of a police chief and different positions, together with an govt assistant, after trustees voted towards approving the picks.
Henyard stated she wants folks in place to handle village operations, after trustees turned down her naming of Ronnie Burge Sr. as police chief.
“As mayor, I an entitled to the appointment,” she stated.
Henyard additionally stated she was briefly naming Angela Lockett as village lawyer, Michael Smith as govt assistant and McStephen “Max” Solomon as particular counsel.
Solomon represents Henyard in a lawsuit she filed towards trustees over the place Village Board conferences must be held. He’s additionally recognized as her lawyer in an eviction case involving the mayor and a Thornton Township worker.
Henyard was sued by some village trustees in early September when she appointed Burge, Lockett and Smith. Cook dinner County Circuit Courtroom Choose Thaddeus Wilson dominated Sept. 25, Henyard didn’t abide by correct process when she made the appointments and that the appointments have been invalid.
Wilson denied a movement by Henyard Oct. 24 to change that non permanent restraining order to permit the appointment Burge and Lockett, with the matter in courtroom once more in the present day.
Burge is a former Dolton police chief and likewise served phrases as chief in Harvey and Dixmoor. In 2021, he ran for Dolton mayor, shedding to Henyard.
Henyard’s appointment of Smith in September was as village administrator, however at Wednesday’s assembly stated she was naming him govt assistant.
Keith Freeman, beneath indictment for chapter fraud, is village administrator, and Choose Wilson additionally blocked Henyard’s transfer to exchange him. It was unclear whether or not the job of govt assistant has completely different duties than that of village administrator.
Earlier than Henyard tried to get board approval Wednesday for the positions, Trustee Jason Home, who’s difficult Henyard for mayor, stated trustees had not been given any details about the appointments, reminiscent of resumes or how a lot they’d be paid.
Henyard brushed apart considerations and stated “you want a police chief and also you all know that.”
Home and Trustees Kiana Belcher, Tammie Brown and Brittney Norwood have battled with Henyard for months, accusing her of spending past Dolton’s means and turning what had been a price range surplus right into a multimillion-dollar deficit.
The mayor, in flip, has labeled the trustees against her as “corrupt” and stated board members routinely overstep their authority, reminiscent of in blocking her appointments.
“You don’t have authority to do something,” she advised trustees Wednesday. “They haven’t any authority over my workplace.”
“You guys have crippled the village and I’m right here to repair it,” Henyard stated.
Wednesday’s assembly was held on the Dolton Park District’s Lester Lengthy Subject Home, and it was the primary time in a number of weeks the mayor and all six trustees have been collectively for a board assembly.
Henyard entered about half-hour after the scheduled begin time, with Lockett taking a seat to her proper and Solomon sitting to her left. The mayor would, every now and then, seek the advice of with Solomon on one subject or one other, such because the appointments. Burge took a seat within the viewers.
mnolan@southtownstar.com
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