DOLTON, Illinois (CBS) –A meeting of village leaders in the southern suburb Dolton Chaos erupted on Thursday evening, with questions about following protocols when hiring staff.
While the administrators wait for multiple studies Unpleasant unfoldthey are also trying to get on with business. They sat down Thursday night to take care of that business, not at the Dolton Village Hall, but at the Dolton Park District Building.
Absent from the monthly board meeting was Mayor Tiffany HenyardBut for the first time, trustee Stanley Brown was present, who had previously not sided with four other trustees who spoke out publicly about Henyard’s lack of accountability.
“I’ve had residents say, come to this meeting. Some say, don’t come to this meeting,” Brown said. “I’m not here to jump ship. I was never on the ship to jump ship, I’ve always been here.”
Earlier this month, Brown did resign when the mayor went ahead with a board meeting despite not having enough trustees to do so. The town’s attorney made it clear that any action taken at that meeting without a quorum was illegal.
But action was taken at that meeting. Henyard appointed a new village manager.
On Thursday evening the board made it clear that they never approved the dismissal of the current village manager, Keith FreemanThe trustees added that since Freeman was charged with falsifying his income in a bankruptcy filing, and is now cooperating with federal investigators, Freeman is now also doing his job.
“We get things done,” said board member Tammy Brown.
“Keith Freeman is finally doing the right thing, and he’s protected by the Whistleblowers’ Act,” said Trustee Brittney Norwood. “They want to remove him.”
Meanwhile, Illinois Accountant Susana Mendoza decided in August to freeze funds for the village because her office had not received any audits or financial reports for two fiscal yearsBut that has now changed, according to the administrators.
“We are now in the process of reconciling the prior fiscal year,” said Trustee Jason House.
It was also revealed Thursday night that the village bank was so fed up with the back and forth and irregularities that it ordered the village to close its account and take its business elsewhere. The village has just 60 days to transfer all available funds to a new bank.
Jermont Terry
