Drama in Dolton: Small village, giant controversy

FOX 32 Chicago
13 May 202431:01

Summary

TLDRThe video script details the controversial tenure of Tiffany Henyard, mayor of Dalton and supervisor of Thornton Township, who has been dubbed 'the worst mayor in America.' Henyard is under fire for alleged misuse of public funds, including expensive security details, lavish trips, and the curious donation of taxpayer money to a cancer charity named after her. The mayor's penchant for attention, such as dressing as a movie character and using a personal DJ at meetings, contrasts with her reluctance to address allegations of misspending. The script outlines the various controversies, including a 10-day march to Springfield, the use of public funds for promotional materials, and the installation of giant billboards featuring Henyard's image. The situation has escalated to the point where the FBI is conducting interviews as part of a federal investigation, and residents are calling for transparency and Henyard's resignation. The summary captures the essence of the video's narrative, highlighting the mayor's questionable actions and the community's response.

Takeaways

  • 🚨 Tiffany Henyard, mayor of a small village in Illinois, has attracted national attention due to allegations of misusing public funds and has been nicknamed 'the worst mayor in America'.
  • 💰 Mayor Henyard holds two political jobs and earns over $200,000 a year, leading to concerns about her questionable expenses and the promotion of her personal interests.
  • 🛍️ Henyard has been accused of using township credit cards for expensive trips, police details, and other personal expenses, raising concerns about misspending of tax funds.
  • 🏥 She established the Tiffany Henard Cares Foundation to help breast cancer patients, which received a $10,000 donation from the Thornton Township Board on the day it was chartered.
  • 🚫 Former Thornton Township Chief of Staff, Stephanie Weedman, was fired by Henyard and has since been documenting township spending, expressing shock at taxpayer dollars funneled into Henyard's charity.
  • 🚶‍♂️ Henyard led a 10-day march to Springfield to promote her breast cancer charity, during which thousands of dollars were spent on hotels, meals, and transportation using public funds.
  • 👕 Henyard sold and gave away t-shirts and hoodies related to her charity, with the township paying $117,000 for specially printed items, raising questions about the purpose and transparency of these expenditures.
  • 🏢 Henyard's name and image are prominently displayed on government-owned properties and vehicles, leading to criticism that she is using taxpayer dollars to promote herself politically.
  • 📈 The village of Dalton is facing financial difficulties, with $5 million in debt in the last two fiscal years, partly due to the costs associated with Henyard's security detail.
  • 🚔 Henyard's security detail, consisting of handpicked Dalton police officers, has been a point of contention, with overtime costs for the officers reaching into the thousands of dollars.
  • ⚖️ The FBI is conducting an investigation into Mayor Henyard, with subpoenas issued for records related to her security detail, expenditures, and the use of public funds for personal and charitable purposes.

Q & A

  • What is the nickname given to the mayor of the small village in Illinois?

    -The mayor has been nicknamed the 'worst mayor in America'.

  • What are some of the allegations against Mayor Tiffany Henyard?

    -Allegations against Mayor Tiffany Henyard include misusing public funds for personal expenses, security details, trips, and billboards; intimidation and retaliation against critics; and questionable donations to a cancer charity named after her.

  • What is the annual salary that Mayor Tiffany Henyard makes from her two public roles?

    -Mayor Tiffany Henyard makes over $200,000 a year from her role as supervisor of Thorton Township and $46,000 a year as the mayor of Dalton.

  • What was the purpose of the 10-day march to Springfield organized by Mayor Henyard?

    -The purpose of the 10-day march to Springfield was to promote Mayor Henyard's breast cancer charity and to introduce a bill that would give everyone $5,000 on their income tax when they file if suffering from cancer.

  • How did the township credit card expenditures raise concerns?

    -Concerns were raised because thousands of dollars were spent on hotel rooms, meals, and transportation for the Springfield trip, as well as the purchase of specially printed hoodies and t-shirts, all charged to the township and Dalton credit cards.

  • What was the reaction of the former Thornton Township Chief of Staff, Stephanie Weedman, to the spending on Mayor Henyard's charity?

    -Stephanie Weedman, who was fired by Mayor Henyard, was stunned by the taxpayer dollars funneled into Henyard's charity, especially the $10,000 donation from the Thornton Township Board.

  • Why did the Dalton trustees file a lawsuit against Mayor Henyard?

    -The Dalton trustees filed a lawsuit against Mayor Henyard claiming that she has not justified the need for her large personal security detail and is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on it without the board's approval.

  • What is the controversy surrounding the billboards featuring Mayor Henyard's name?

    -The controversy is that the billboards, which feature Mayor Henyard's name and picture prominently, appear to be promoting her personally rather than township services. They were paid for by taxpayer dollars, which some argue is a misuse of public funds.

  • How did the security detail assigned to Mayor Henyard impact the local police department?

    -The security detail assigned to Mayor Henyard strained the local police department's resources, leading to an undermanned and overworked force. This impacted the department's ability to fight crime effectively, with fewer officers available for patrolling the streets.

  • What triggered the federal investigation into Mayor Henyard?

    -The federal investigation into Mayor Henyard was triggered by a series of allegations and controversies, including the misuse of public funds, intimidation tactics, and retaliation against those who opposed her, which led to increased scrutiny and calls for an inquiry into her activities.

  • What was the reaction of the local community and businesses to Mayor Henyard's actions?

    -The local community and businesses expressed frustration and outrage at Mayor Henyard's actions. Some reported feeling targeted by retaliatory measures, such as the revocation of permits and the shutdown of businesses. There were also calls for her resignation and for greater transparency in the use of public funds.

Outlines

00:00

😠 Controversial Mayor Tiffany Henyard's Questionable Expenses

Mayor Tiffany Henyard of a small village in Illinois has gained national attention and the nickname 'worst mayor in America' due to her questionable use of public funds. Henyard, who holds two political positions, has been accused of using her offices for personal gain, including expensive trips, police details, and retaliation against critics. She has also been linked to a controversial donation of taxpayer money to a cancer charity named after her. The mayor's actions have led to chaos and legal battles, with allegations of misspending and a lack of transparency.

05:00

🤔 Henyard's Publicity Stunts and Taxpayer Funded Campaigns

Mayor Henyard is known for her attention-seeking behavior, which includes dressing up as a movie character and using a DJ during meetings. She has been involved in a 10-day march to Springfield to promote a bill for cancer patients, during which thousands of dollars were spent on hotels, meals, and transportation using public funds. Henyard's charity received a $10,000 donation from the Thornton Township Board, which she presides over. Critics argue that her actions are self-promotional and that public funds are being misused for personal and political gain.

10:01

🚨 Misuse of Taxpayer Funds for Billboards and Security Detail

Allegations against Mayor Henyard include the misuse of taxpayer funds for promotional billboards featuring her name and image along highways. The township paid over $112,000 for the rental of these billboards. Additionally, Henyard's security detail has raised concerns, with officers working excessive overtime hours, leading to inflated paychecks. One officer received over $133,000 in a single paycheck after working 303 hours. Trustees argue that the security detail is unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer money, detracting from public safety and proper policing in the community.

15:01

😤 Henyard's Disregard for Public Input and Financial Woes

Mayor Henyard has been criticized for her disregard for public input, as seen in incidents where residents and press were barred from attending township board meetings. The village of Dalton is facing financial difficulties, with $5 million in debt, partly due to the mayor's expensive security detail. The former police chief of Dalton, Robert Collins, was fired by Henyard and has filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination, claiming that the mayor's actions have impacted the police department's ability to fight crime effectively.

20:02

🚔 Police Raids and Allegations of Retaliation

The narrative describes a situation where local businesses, including two bars, were raided by the police in an alleged campaign of harassment by Mayor Henyard. The mayor is accused of targeting businesses that did not support her, including revoking a park permit for an event that coincided with her own music festival. The township's financial decisions and actions by the mayor have led to an FBI investigation, with subpoenas being issued for a broad range of records related to Henyard's political fund, her charity, and the township's financial activities.

25:02

🏛️ Calls for Henyard's Resignation and Ongoing Investigations

The piece concludes with a look at the broader implications of Mayor Henyard's actions, including calls for her resignation from residents and an ongoing FBI investigation. Subpoenas have been issued for a wide range of records, indicating a significant scope to the federal criminal investigation. The residents of Dalton and Thornton Township are hoping for accountability and a recovery of misappropriated funds, while the story of Mayor Henyard continues to unfold.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Tiffany Henyard

Tiffany Henyard is the central figure in the video, serving as the mayor of a small suburban community in Illinois. She is portrayed as a controversial figure due to allegations of misusing public funds, creating a security detail that is excessively large for the town's needs, and engaging in questionable political tactics. The video discusses her actions and the impact on her community, making her a key concept in understanding the overall narrative.

💡Misuse of Public Funds

The term 'misuse of public funds' refers to the improper application of taxpayer money for personal or unauthorized purposes. In the video, Mayor Henyard is accused of using public funds for personal expenses, such as a large security detail, trips, and donations to a charity named after her. This is a significant issue in the video as it raises concerns about corruption and the mismanagement of public resources.

💡Security Detail

A 'security detail' is a team assigned to protect an individual, often a public figure or official. The video highlights Mayor Henyard's security detail as being oversized and excessively costly, with officers reportedly working long overtime hours and being taken on out-of-town trips with the mayor. The detail's size and cost become a point of contention and symbolize what critics view as Henyard's extravagance and disregard for the town's financial health.

💡Political Tactics

Political tactics are strategies used to achieve political goals, which can include campaigning, influencing public opinion, or managing political relationships. The video suggests that Henyard uses aggressive and potentially intimidating tactics, such as retaliating against those who do not support her, which contributes to the negative perception of her leadership.

💡Public Records Requests

Public records requests are legal requests made by individuals or groups to access information held by public entities. In the context of the video, public records requests are used as a tool to uncover financial transactions and spending by Mayor Henyard's administration. The slow or unresponsive nature of the township to these requests is indicative of a lack of transparency, which is a central theme in the video.

💡Charity Donations

Charity donations are contributions made to support nonprofit organizations or causes. The video discusses a $10,000 donation made by the Thornton Township Board to a cancer charity named after Mayor Henyard. This donation, which came from taxpayer money, raises ethical questions and is part of the broader narrative of alleged financial mismanagement.

💡Political Billboards

Political billboards are large outdoor advertising structures used to promote political candidates or messages. In the video, Henyard's name and image appear on several billboards along expressways, which some argue are more akin to campaign ads than advertisements for township services. The billboards are a point of controversy as they are believed to have been funded by taxpayer dollars, leading to allegations of self-promotion at public expense.

💡FBI Investigation

An 'FBI investigation' refers to an inquiry conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation into potential federal crimes. The video reveals that FBI agents are interviewing witnesses and examining records related to Mayor Henyard's activities. This investigation is significant as it implies that the allegations against Henyard may have legal ramifications and underscores the severity of the issues raised.

💡Retaliation

Retaliation is an act of revenge or retribution in response to a perceived offense. The video script mentions allegations of retaliation by Mayor Henyard against those who do not support her, such as revoking permits for events or shutting down businesses. This behavior is depicted as a form of intimidation and is a key element in the portrayal of Henyard's leadership style.

💡Public Meeting

A public meeting is an official gathering where members of the public can participate in discussions, often related to local governance or policy. The video describes an incident where residents were prevented from attending a public board meeting, which is a violation of their rights to participate in the democratic process. This incident is indicative of a broader theme of transparency and accountability in government.

💡Whistleblower

A whistleblower is an individual who exposes wrongdoing, typically within an organization. In the video, Stephanie Weedman is mentioned as a former Township employee who has become a whistleblower, assisting the FBI in its investigation against Mayor Henyard. The role of the whistleblower is crucial in bringing potential misconduct to light and seeking accountability.

Highlights

Leader of a small village in Illinois, known as Mayor Tiffany Henyard, has attracted national attention and gained the nickname 'the worst mayor in America' due to questionable expenses and alleged intimidation tactics.

Mayor Henyard holds two political positions, earning over $200,000 a year, and has been accused of misusing her offices for personal gain and security details.

Allegations include expensive trips, use of township credit cards for personal expenses, and the curious donation of taxpayer money to a cancer charity named after Henyard.

Henyard's tenure has been marked by chaos, with firings, scandals, and a legal battle over spending, leading to a federal investigation.

The mayor has been known to attract attention, dressing up as a character from a movie and using a DJ to punctuate her political points.

A march to Springfield to promote Henyard's breast cancer charity was documented on social media, with expenses tracked to township credit cards.

A former employee claims that Henyard's actions felt like a takeover and that taxpayer dollars were funneled into her charity.

Henyard's security detail has been a point of contention, with overtime pay for officers reaching into the thousands and a former police chief claiming the detail impacted the ability to fight crime.

The village of Dalton is facing a financial crisis with $5 million in debt, partly due to the expensive security detail.

Henyard's use of taxpayer funds for billboards featuring her name and image has raised questions about the legality and intent behind such spending.

Critics argue that the billboards are essentially campaign ads and that the township should not have paid for them.

Henyard's response to questions about her spending has been evasive, and she has been accused of bullying and intimidation.

The FBI is conducting a federal criminal investigation into Henyard, including her security expenditures, use of public funds, and the charity in her name.

Subpoenas reveal a broad scope of the investigation, including financial reports, payroll records, and contracts related to Henyard and her administration.

Residents and local businesses in Dalton have reported retaliation and harassment by Henyard, leading to a call for her resignation.

The ongoing investigation and its findings are expected to have significant implications for Henyard's political future and the village of Dalton.

Transcripts

00:01

how did the leader of a small village we

00:03

got our be right here coming from

00:04

Illinois attract the attention of the

00:06

entire nation and get nicknamed the

00:09

worst mayor in America everything she

00:12

has initiated has been to promote her

00:14

questionable expenses I can map out

00:17

their entire trip on the township credit

00:18

card expensive police details 162 hours

00:22

oh that's nothing and allegations of

00:24

retaliation did you take that as a

00:25

threat I took that as bullying she's not

00:27

shy about attracting attention it makes

00:29

her feel as if she's like a superstar

00:32

until she starts facing questions I ask

00:34

you a few questions yeah she says no I'm

00:36

asking her we're going to talk now the

00:37

feds are involved and another

00:39

controversial mayor is joining the story

00:42

we want transparency with this much

00:44

controversy coming from just one person

00:47

we got to ask who is mayor Tiffany

00:50

henyard and what's behind the drama in

00:52

doton she cannot continue to intimidate

00:54

and gangster her way through

00:57

this welcome I'm Fox 32 Dane PLO Tiffany

01:01

henyard actually has two political jobs

01:03

on two public payrolls as mayor of South

01:06

Suburban Dalton or as she calls herself

01:08

super mayor and supervisor of Thorton

01:11

Township where she makes over $200,000 a

01:14

year now before henyard election in 2021

01:17

Dalton was like any other suburban

01:19

community with festivals parades and its

01:22

share of problems but today Dalton is

01:24

known more for the mayor herself and The

01:27

NeverEnding allegations that she's used

01:30

and abused her two offices at Dalton and

01:32

Thorton Township for pricey security

01:34

details trips to Vegas unmissable

01:37

Highway Billboards and the Curious

01:39

donation of Township tax dollars to a

01:42

cancer charity named for you guessed it

01:46

mayor henyard nobody

01:49

know don't nobody know nothing Tiffany

01:52

henyard certainly isn't shy about

01:54

attracting attention here she is

01:55

starting a Dalton village board meeting

01:57

dressed like the Wesley Snipes character

01:59

in the movie New Jack City later

02:02

punctuating her political points with

02:03

the help of her own DJ every single

02:08

resident pay me what you owe

02:10

[Music]

02:13

me thank you DJ henards picture in name

02:16

adorned virtually every public posting

02:18

both from Dalton where is Mayor she

02:20

makes $46,000 a year and in Thorton

02:23

Township whereas the elected supervisor

02:26

she collects more than $200,000 a year

02:29

but for all that money henards tenure at

02:31

both has been chaotic with firings

02:33

scandals and a legal battle with the

02:35

Dalton trustees over

02:38

spending so last fall henard did

02:41

something that would seemingly generate

02:43

some good publicity helping establish

02:45

the Tiffany henard cares Foundation to

02:48

help breast cancer patients and on the

02:51

very day the charity was chartered it

02:53

received a huge donation

02:55

$10,000 from the Thornton Township Board

02:58

which henyard presides over taxpayer

03:00

money shouldn't be paid into those types

03:03

of things Stephanie Weedman is the

03:05

former Thornton Township Chief of Staff

03:07

whom henard fired shortly after taking

03:09

over in March of last year it almost

03:11

felt like a takeover and a very

03:14

aggressive one at that since her firing

03:17

Weedman has been documenting Township

03:19

spending and says she's stunned by the

03:21

taxpayer dollars funneled into henyard

03:24

charity especially this we got 10 days

03:27

we're going 196 miles last October

03:30

henyard led a delegation of Dalton and

03:32

Thorton Township employees and political

03:34

supporters on a march to Springfield to

03:36

promote her breast cancer charity which

03:38

she documented on her Facebook page we

03:41

walking through do all we're Brightwood

03:44

now we are in Godly now we in

03:47

Bloomington baby I can pretty much map

03:50

out their entire Springfield trip on the

03:53

township credit cards that's right

03:55

henyard build thousands of dollars in

03:57

hotel rooms and meals during the trip to

03:59

thoron Township and Dalton credit cards

04:02

in addition the video show henard used

04:04

multiple Village and Township Vehicles

04:06

owned by taxpayers to escort the Caravan

04:09

including a flatbed trailer with a

04:11

photographer flying a drone and a DJ we

04:14

got our Bear right here coming from

04:16

Illinois walking all the way to

04:18

Springfield make noise for our the

04:20

people but they didn't always walk we

04:23

all motorbikes baby at times riding

04:26

electric bikes y'all see my bike Town

04:30

ship supervisor it looks like a

04:32

misspending of tax funds um I think

04:34

that's the biggest that that's the

04:36

biggest concern Dalton trusty Jason

04:38

house has been doing battle with the

04:39

mayor since she took office very

04:41

disturbing to hear these things or to

04:44

kind of see some of the receipts that

04:45

appear to be connected to it and I think

04:48

the taxpayers really deserve better than

04:49

that and then there's the merch there a

04:52

shirt want a t-shirt along the way

04:54

henyard sold and gave away t-shirts and

04:56

hoodies also available on her Chari

04:59

website

05:00

a week before the trip the township paid

05:03

$117,000 for specially printed hoodies

05:05

and t-shirts but won't say what they're

05:07

for I think that everything she has

05:10

initiated has been something to promote

05:12

her something to get her name in

05:14

household something to get people to buy

05:17

into voting for her our investigation

05:21

found at least $1,000 in public funds

05:24

spent on that trip but both Dalton and

05:27

Thorton Township have been slow or

05:29

unresponsive to open records requests so

05:32

what was the purpose of the 10-day march

05:34

to Springfield I have created a bill uh

05:37

which we're going to speak before the

05:39

revenue committee to give everybody

05:41

$5,000 on a income tax when they file if

05:45

you are suffering from canc a noble goal

05:48

except the revenue committee wasn't

05:50

meeting when the group arrived in

05:51

Springfield hener did later testify at a

05:54

Committee hearing in Chicago but so far

05:56

nothing has come of her bill I think I'm

05:59

going to damn good job on Le so we went

06:02

to a recent Thorton Township board

06:04

meeting to ask henyard some questions

06:06

about all that spending I never ever

06:09

been um bitter to the news this is my

06:11

all to the media can you guys reach out

06:14

to us and ask us our before you post it

06:17

I appreciate and so we did I'll ask you

06:20

a few questions okay but henyard wasn't

06:22

anxious to talk about her charity why

06:24

did you in the in the board vote to give

06:26

your foundation $10,000 I'm the f of the

06:30

foundation my name is nowhere

06:32

sir I'm the face face what was the

06:35

purpose of going to

06:36

Springfield she doesn't have any more

06:38

comments we're going to talk any more

06:40

comments thanks guys that's Keith

06:42

Freeman whom henard hired at both Dalton

06:44

and Thorton Township and was part of her

06:46

Springfield walk look at Keith Kei baby

06:50

Freeman also filed paperwork for the

06:52

charity bearing henyard name why are you

06:54

using public money for your personal

06:57

charity $177,000 sure it's thank thank

07:01

you thank you and with that her security

07:03

detail hustled henyard upstairs and

07:05

blocked the staircase with a

07:08

table so we tried asking another

07:11

employee who went on that trip you went

07:12

down to Springfield and what were you

07:14

hoping to do in spr ask people to

07:15

handles that I'm not the one to handled

07:17

it I was just riding a bik we need more

07:19

officers on the streets we need our

07:20

streets repaved um so to spend that kind

07:23

of money on a charitable event or

07:26

supposed charitable event really doesn't

07:28

seem like the best use of tax take a

07:30

drive to the south suburbs and you can't

07:32

miss them four giant Billboards

07:35

featuring Tiffany henyard name in large

07:37

letters along with her picture smiling

07:40

down on the thousands of cars going by

07:42

on Interstate 57 and the Bishop Ford

07:44

Expressway what are they advertising one

07:47

says fresh produce another senior

07:49

services and this one simply says we

07:51

offer general assistance there's a phone

07:54

number but you wouldn't know what it's

07:55

for unless you can read in teeny tiny

07:58

letters thoron Township supervisor as

08:01

you're speeding by these are the

08:03

Billboards that have gone up along the

08:05

expressways we showed the Billboards to

08:07

Bert odson an election attorney who's

08:09

been working in Illinois politics for 50

08:11

years when I first looked at it I

08:14

thought what is she running for now

08:17

because that's what it shouts out Odon

08:19

who represents a political faction

08:21

opposed to henyard and Dalton says it's

08:23

clear the Billboards are promoting more

08:25

than Township Services he says they're

08:28

essentially Campa pain ads uh this is a

08:31

blatant attempt to promote herself

08:34

politically uh the township should not

08:37

have paid for these if they if they did

08:39

and I'm sure they did they did indeed

08:41

bills obtained by Fox 32 under open

08:44

records laws shows Thorton Township paid

08:46

more than $10,000 for the vinyl signs

08:49

themselves and more than $112,000 to

08:52

Clear Channel Outdoor advertising for

08:54

one month's rental of the Billboards

08:56

what was your reaction when you saw I

08:58

well first of all I didn't know anything

08:59

about them Thorton Township Trustee

09:01

Chris Gonzalez says the board was never

09:03

consulted about the Billboards which he

09:06

says needed their approval kind of the

09:08

some of the first things that popped in

09:09

my mind is what are we doing um we're

09:12

not this isn't a big sale we're not

09:14

selling cars here I mean if it's

09:17

informational then it should be

09:18

informational I mean there's so many

09:20

other ways we could have spent that

09:21

money um that would have you know

09:23

directly help people this isn't the

09:25

first time henyard has used taxpayer

09:27

dollars to burnish her own personal

09:30

image in fact on other occasions she

09:33

spent a lot more and you can't turn your

09:35

head in Dalton or thoron Township

09:37

without seeing henards picture or name

09:40

it's on all the government-owned

09:41

vehicles buildings even on the rugs in

09:44

the township where we found a Tiffany

09:46

henard 2024 calendar featuring all the

09:50

important dates to remember including

09:52

her birthday I would be having a fit if

09:55

she was my client telling her not to do

09:57

this veteran Chicago political

09:58

consultant delmarie cob says there would

10:00

be nothing wrong if henyard were using

10:02

her own political funds for those

10:04

promotional materials especially the

10:06

Billboards I actually had a candidate

10:09

years ago who was running for mayor

10:10

doton and that's what we did we bought

10:14

uh Billboards along the expressway

10:15

because if you're coming and going home

10:17

all day and one of the things I always

10:19

say about Billboards is they're working

10:21

when you're sleep in 2011 State

10:23

lawmakers passed a law Banning the

10:26

practice of politicians putting their

10:27

names on publicly funded signs spurred

10:30

by these Tollway signs featuring former

10:32

Governor Rob legovich that law does not

10:35

extend to Mayors or other elected

10:37

officials but election attorney odson

10:39

believes the Billboards do violate state

10:42

election laws it's a crime yeah you're

10:44

you're using public funds for something

10:47

that taxpayer dollars shouldn't

10:49

shouldn't be used for and just when you

10:51

think you've seen it all take a look at

10:53

this when the first billboard went up

10:55

last summer thoron was misspelled as

10:57

thoron

10:59

sign had to be ordered apparently a

11:01

taxpayer expense in videos posted by

11:04

henyard herself we see her being driven

11:06

around and surrounded by Dalton officers

11:10

which got us to wondering why all the

11:12

cops we weren't opposed to her having

11:14

the security detail we asked how long

11:17

and how often Dalton trustee Britney

11:20

Norwood says henard began assembling her

11:22

details shortly after being elected in

11:24

2021 using handpicked Dalton police

11:27

officers using a freedom of information

11:30

request we obtained the work records for

11:32

six of the officers assigned to henyard

11:34

security detail at various times and

11:37

showed them to some of Dalton's trustees

11:39

this is a freedom of information request

11:41

we did to see how much overtime these

11:44

officers are making on her security

11:46

details oh wow 162 hours 162 oh that's

11:50

nothing what goes through your mind when

11:52

you see these numbers um it's it's

11:55

disappointing it's frustrating the

11:56

officers are paid every two weeks which

11:58

without without overtime is 80 hours but

12:01

when they're put on henards detail that

12:03

80 hours balloons to well over a 100

12:06

hours sometimes 200 hours and in the

12:09

case of Officer Terry young last May 303

12:13

hours worked over a two-e period that

12:16

resulted in a single paycheck of more

12:18

than

12:19

$133,000 how how does a person put in a

12:23

2E pay period 303 hours that's

12:25

impossible that's impossible 336 do he

12:28

never go

12:29

in fact there are 336 hours total in 2

12:33

weeks meaning young was not being paid

12:35

for only 33 hours over that period other

12:38

officers on the security detail are also

12:41

racking Up Overtime paychecks in the

12:43

multiple thousands of dollars May might

12:45

if I ask you a couple questions about

12:46

your security details absolutely not I'm

12:49

asking her yeah she said no a couple

12:51

weeks ago we tried to question henyard

12:53

about her detail as she went door Todo

12:55

in Dalton giving out water on a 100° day

12:59

surrounded by police firefighters Public

13:01

Works employees and two videographers

13:04

documenting for Dalton's Facebook page I

13:06

want to tell the people I'm not going to

13:08

stop I'mma keep going I hope they post

13:10

what we actually do here in the village

13:11

of do and stop telling lies but when we

13:14

gave her an opportunity to explain the

13:16

OT mayor why do you need so many

13:18

officers details your security what did

13:21

you say water it sound like you say

13:22

water earlier that day we watched as a

13:25

Dalton cop drove henyard from her other

13:27

job at Thorton Township to Mexican

13:29

restaurant for lunch trustees say the

13:32

security detail picks the mayor up at

13:33

her home in the morning and is with her

13:35

until she's dropped off at night often

13:38

taking her on errands and shopping does

13:40

she need a security detail absolutely

13:43

not why why would you need a security

13:46

detail oh she loves it she just loves it

13:49

she loves the detail I think um it makes

13:53

her feel as if um she's like a superstar

13:57

Dalton trustees have filed lawsuit

13:59

against henyard saying she's not

14:01

justified the need for security and is

14:03

spending hundreds of thousands of

14:05

dollars on it without the board's

14:07

approval I see no justification

14:09

whatsoever and more than that it's

14:11

really a detriment to the residents of

14:12

do oh sure um the residents if we would

14:15

take the same money and put it on

14:17

officers patrolling the streets then the

14:19

residents will see a much better

14:21

presence and Public Safety will be

14:23

better we've had a few shootings so we

14:26

need the extra police patrol our streets

14:30

instead of patrolling her and we found

14:33

Dalton credit card statements showing

14:35

that hener takes the detail with her

14:37

even when she travels out of town

14:39

spending thousands of dollars on plane

14:41

tickets lodging and meals for the

14:43

officers mayor why don't you taking all

14:45

the officers out of town with you isn't

14:47

that a waste of taxpayers money let's go

14:49

to this one right here anything you want

14:51

to say to defend yourself on this as for

14:53

The Village's finances trustees say

14:55

Dalton is now getting sued by some

14:57

vendors for failure to pay its bills

14:59

bills in the last two fiscal years we're

15:01

$5 million in the hole and a big part of

15:03

it is the security detail it's

15:05

embarrassing embarrassing it's

15:07

embarrassing you don't see the governor

15:10

with a detail as hers several months

15:13

after we broke the story about henards

15:15

expensive security detail we got

15:18

confirmation that it was impacting the

15:20

ability to fight crime in Dalton and

15:22

that came in an exclusive Fox 32

15:25

interview with somebody who would know

15:27

Dalton's now former police chief

15:30

the Manpower was just very stressed and

15:33

critical to the point of almost breaking

15:36

former Dalton police chief Robert

15:38

Collins spoke to us from Florida where

15:40

he's taken a new job after being fired

15:42

by Dalton mayor Tiffany henyard late

15:44

last year but Colin says he remains

15:47

frustrated by what he experienced

15:49

leading an undermanned overworked Police

15:51

Department while mayor hener demanded a

15:54

large personal security detail you know

15:57

wrong is wrong and there's a Time to

15:59

hold people responsible and accountable

16:01

for their action but at some point there

16:03

would be two officers or three officers

16:06

and depending on if there was some type

16:08

of event it would be more officers

16:10

that's for a town of a little more than

16:12

20,000 people that's struggling

16:14

economically and usually only has a few

16:17

officers on duty per shift colins says

16:20

henyard security detail was warranted

16:23

when it started in 2021 after a police

16:25

involved shooting sparked protests and

16:28

threats and at some point the protest

16:30

stopped however the detail continued why

16:34

do you need a security detail while

16:36

you're out of town um who's on the other

16:38

end of that flight that's going to do

16:40

harm Colin says he became increasingly

16:43

frustrated because the mayor's detail

16:46

tied his hands when it came to fighting

16:49

crime just last week a mass shooting on

16:51

sibi Boulevard left four people injured

16:54

Collins believes the bad guys know there

16:56

aren't enough cops on Dalton streets but

16:59

villager Dalton has its challenges with

17:02

gangs guns and drugs and if those

17:04

officers aren't there the visibility

17:05

isn't there and if the visibility isn't

17:07

there then uh criminals have free reign

17:11

and it it more or less was these are the

17:14

orders this is what you have to do last

17:16

week Collins filed a civil lawsuit

17:18

against the village of Dalton for

17:19

wrongful termination saying he was fired

17:22

by the mayor without cause and without

17:24

board approval because his wife is

17:27

friends with some of the mayor's proed

17:29

political enemies and our contention is

17:31

that it is illegal did he do anything

17:34

wrong no Chief Collins any position that

17:37

he's ever been in is a policeman's

17:38

policeman he held the rank of Chief but

17:41

he's a patrolman at heart but it is

17:43

frustrating CD officers uses like that

17:45

I'm sure the officers are frustrated too

17:47

but they following orders as the

17:49

attention on henyard heated up Dalton

17:52

Village Hall and Thorton Township

17:53

headquarters became the stage for an

17:56

evolving soap opera Village trustees

17:58

started a going rogue employees got

18:00

locked out of their offices and it

18:02

became harder for the Publican press to

18:04

attend meetings including one to vote on

18:07

the mayor's salary that we learned

18:09

included a poison pill provision that

18:11

made any potential Challenger think

18:13

twice about running against

18:15

henyard did you know about this

18:17

beforehand no absolutely not no word was

18:20

given to myself Thornton Township

18:23

Trustee Chris Gonzalez was just sitting

18:25

down at the start of the Township's

18:26

board meeting two weeks ago when he was

18:28

handed a seven-page proposed ordinance

18:31

requiring an immediate vote you had no

18:33

time to read no and then we get pretty

18:35

much into the meeting pretty quick what

18:37

it does is to ensure that henard

18:39

continues to receive her

18:41

$224,000 year salary as Township

18:44

supervisor but if a non-incumbent

18:47

becomes supervisor in other words if

18:49

someone challenges henyard and beats her

18:51

the salary for that position drops to

18:53

just $225,000 a year a pay cut of nearly

18:57

90% truste Gonzalez says it's a

19:00

political poison pill to scare off

19:02

competition discourage people from

19:04

running um is probably the first thing

19:07

that comes to mind is this legal no it's

19:10

it's it's so illegal in so many ways

19:13

Municipal attorney Bert Odon who

19:15

represents henyard political opposition

19:17

in Dalton says under equal protection of

19:19

the law the salaries of elected

19:21

officials have to be identity blind

19:24

meaning they don't change based on the

19:26

person holding the job it's maybe maybe

19:29

the worst attempt to try to dissuade

19:32

people from running that I've ever seen

19:34

and that's a long time henyard isn't

19:36

facing reelection until 2025 but already

19:40

potential competitors are circling

19:41

despite the drastically lower salary

19:44

including state senator Napoleon Harris

19:47

but if henyard is reelected she'll

19:49

continue making the

19:51

224k even if she seems to believe the

19:53

job is worth a fraction of that I think

19:55

this is a job that should pay over

19:57

200,000 or

19:59

5,000 I mean probably somewhere in the

20:01

middle in all honesty so this is the

20:04

assessor's office Cassandra ston has

20:06

been the assessor here in Thorton

20:07

Township for the past 10 years an

20:09

elected position that helps residents

20:11

deal with exemptions and property tax

20:13

appeals but when she arrived at work

20:15

this morning something strange happened

20:17

this was your office yes what happened

20:20

when you tried to open

20:22

it he doesn't work not only had ston

20:25

been locked out of her own office but

20:27

boxes of sensitive documents that she

20:30

kept in her office were spread around

20:31

the common area this was under lock and

20:33

key before this was under lock and key

20:35

and now it's just out in the open now

20:37

it's just out in the open so it has the

20:39

taxpayer's name address so who did this

20:42

to you well I mening the new supervisor

20:44

Tiffany henyard Elston has been critical

20:46

of henyard spending at the township and

20:48

believes getting kicked out is political

20:50

payback but this is not going to stop me

20:53

this is my job this is what I get paid

20:54

to do need this she's the assessor she

20:57

invited us in

20:59

and that's when Township security

21:01

officers stepped in okay so you're

21:02

refusing to leave yes South Holland

21:05

police were called to the scene and they

21:06

agreed with us that the assessor had

21:08

every right to invite us into her office

21:10

new crew was here to do an interview on

21:12

me does Tiffany henard have any right to

21:15

do this not only Tiffany hener but

21:17

nobody has any right to do this to uh a

21:21

separate elected official like the

21:22

assessor the Assessor's lawyer Bert

21:24

oldson tells me they plan to file a

21:26

lawsuit in Cook County to anding she get

21:29

her office back it is extremely illegal

21:32

you can do and say pretty much what you

21:34

want to say or do to me but when you

21:37

start doing things that affect the

21:40

taxpayers that's why I draw the line

21:42

after we finished the interview somebody

21:44

deactivated the key fobs for all of the

21:46

assessor employees meaning now none of

21:49

them can get into the office so tomorrow

21:51

they plan to set up tables and chairs

21:53

here outside township hall to meet the

21:56

public the sign outside its headquart

21:58

says welcome to Thorton Township people

22:01

working with people but when residents

22:03

showed up last night to speak at a

22:05

public board meeting they got anything

22:07

but a warm welcome when I arrived there

22:09

was security here he was standing at the

22:11

bottom of the stairs preventing anybody

22:12

from going up to the boardroom I asked

22:14

him if the meeting was downstairs he

22:15

replied yes Stephanie Weedman and a

22:17

handful of other residents wanted to

22:19

speak directly to thoron Township

22:21

supervisor Tiffany henard also the mayor

22:24

of Dalton I'm just curious to see who

22:26

makes the decisions about how tax

22:28

dollars are being spent but they never

22:30

got that chance after being blocked from

22:33

going to the boardroom upstairs they

22:34

were sent to the basement where they

22:36

were told the Township board meeting

22:37

would be held it wasn't they asked for a

22:40

signup sheet for public comment never

22:42

got it and before they knew what had

22:44

happened the 4-minute meeting upstairs

22:47

was over and henyard was gone without

22:49

hearing from her constituents they are

22:52

violating our rights I pay taxes here I

22:56

have a right to get up and speak whether

22:58

this is Administration likes it or not

22:59

and not only were the residents shut out

23:01

so was a local newspaper reporter who

23:03

came here to cover the meeting um I was

23:06

told by a security guard that was not

23:08

allowed upstairs where the boardroom

23:10

meeting is Josh bzma of the Lancing

23:12

Journal says residents deserve to know

23:15

how elected officials are spending their

23:17

money thoron Township is the largest

23:18

Township in Illinois and so there are a

23:20

lot of people that are affected by the

23:22

decisions the financial decisions that

23:24

this Township makes even Thorton

23:26

Township Trustee Chris gonzale a

23:29

frequent henyard critic was ordered out

23:31

of the boardroom until the meeting began

23:33

do you think any laws were broken last

23:35

night by the way they handled the public

23:37

well definitely I mean if somebody wants

23:39

to speak this is a public it's a public

23:41

meeting it's a public building they

23:42

should be able to come in with mayor

23:44

henard now a regular Target of criticism

23:47

Dalton employees and local business

23:49

owners started feeling the heat claiming

23:51

they faced retaliation when they refused

23:53

to support the mayor even a Park permit

23:56

was revoked for an event that was

23:57

happening this same day as a music

23:59

festival managed by correct again mayor

24:03

henyard always a good time for everybody

24:05

that comes out fun exciting good for the

24:08

community for the past eight years

24:10

Darren Bosley has organized an annual

24:12

car show here in the parking lot of

24:14

needles Park in Dalton but after paying

24:16

$1,000 to the park district for this

24:19

year's permit Bosley got an unexpected

24:22

call last Wednesday from Dalton mayor

24:24

Tiffany henards top assistant saying

24:26

that the show will be shut down but if I

24:28

move my event to her

24:31

location on Greenwood that I will be

24:34

fine did you take that as a threat yes I

24:36

took that as bullying sure enough when

24:39

Bosley showed up at the Park Saturday

24:41

morning he found that giant concrete

24:43

barricades had been placed at the

24:44

entrance and Dalton police were

24:46

threatening to tow any cars that park

24:49

there we talking about two different

24:50

governments talking about the park

24:52

government versus The Village government

24:54

Dalton Park District president Cleo

24:56

Jones says mayor henyard has no legal

24:58

authority over Park District property

25:00

and believes she didn't want the

25:02

competition to hurt attendance at her

25:04

own event a house music festival a few

25:07

blocks away so I'm not sure what her

25:09

tactics were of than trying to bully us

25:12

and push us away but you know that's not

25:14

going to happen here what would you say

25:15

to the mayor about this uh get your life

25:18

together get your act together um this

25:20

is wrong for people that spend money

25:23

with the part District to try to throw

25:24

an event peaceful event fine event and

25:27

it's good for for the community but

25:29

you're taking that away from everybody

25:31

they just rushed in here put police at

25:33

the front of the door like they was

25:34

doing a raid on the drug house or

25:35

something a team of Dalton police

25:37

officers raided and shut down Pablo's

25:40

baring Cafe and rinky baring Cafe both

25:43

located unily about a block apart

25:46

everything going peacefully nothing

25:48

going on there like 10 police cars came

25:50

in and they start pushing customers from

25:53

here and he said if you don't leave

25:55

we're going to lock you up employees and

25:57

owners say it's part of an ongoing

25:59

campaign of harassment by Dalton mayor

26:01

Tiffany henyard that is costing jobs and

26:04

money their business licenses have been

26:06

Stripped by Dalton but they've continued

26:08

to operate with a state license I have

26:11

like over 23 employees they work from

26:13

the local Township now end of the day

26:15

all the employees they going to lose

26:16

them job it's ridiculous we all have

26:18

mous fee we all have kids um they are

26:21

not giving us no explanation on Monday

26:24

we visited both rinky and Pablo to ask

26:27

about allegations their licenses were

26:29

being held up for political reasons then

26:31

last evening we broke the story that FBI

26:34

agents have questioned at least a half

26:36

dozen people including business owners a

26:38

former Dalton employee and an elected

26:41

official as part of an investigation

26:43

into mayor henyard less than two hours

26:46

after our story aired police raided the

26:48

two bars someone seen you go in there

26:51

and in two hours after your story airs

26:54

that police are at both of these

26:56

establishments Dalton trustee Tammy

26:58

Brown says she believes the raids are

27:00

meant to send a warning to others not to

27:03

talk and she believes there's a reason

27:05

so many doton businesses are having

27:07

trouble getting their licenses renewed

27:10

I'm sure that they were asked to donate

27:12

make a donation and most likely they

27:15

didn't make a donation Dalton residents

27:17

had enough and in April Dalton's

27:19

trustees voted to open an investigation

27:22

into mayor henyard and invited everyone

27:24

from the state's attorney to the FBI to

27:26

come to Dalton and open the books well

27:28

trustees got their wish when we broke

27:30

the news that FBI agents were in fact

27:33

interviewing witnesses as part of a

27:35

federal investigation and then entering

27:37

the fry another mayor who frequently

27:40

found herself in the crosshairs former

27:42

Chicago mayor Lori

27:44

Lightfoot I commit to you that I will

27:47

follow the facts where they lead without

27:51

bias at the conclusion of this

27:53

investigation I will provide an

27:55

assessment of the findings and the

27:57

recommendations

27:58

and I welcome and urge the full

28:01

cooperation by mayor henyard her staff

28:06

all Village trustees vendors and others

28:09

this board specifically has made reaches

28:10

to the state's attorney Attorney General

28:12

governor's office and as we know there

28:14

are ongoing well it's been reported that

28:18

there's ongoing um investigations from

28:20

federal entities uh those entities as we

28:23

know can take anywhere from 2 months to

28:26

5 years we feel this option will will

28:28

give us um an independent process

28:30

overall it tells me that the

28:32

investigation is expanding it's not just

28:35

focusing on the City of Dalton former

28:37

FBI agent Ross rice says the subpoenas

28:40

revealed the burgeoning scope of the

28:42

federal criminal investigation into

28:44

Thorton Township supervisor and Dalton

28:47

mayor Tiffany henyard one Sabina focuses

28:50

entirely on henyard including two

28:52

businesses she owns a restaurant and a

28:54

property management company as well as

28:57

henards political fund and the charity

28:59

bearing her name it asks for all records

29:02

including Personnel files wage and tax

29:04

statements time and attendance records

29:07

of work performed contracts and checks

29:10

written to cash the mayor and the

29:12

township supervisor who are one and the

29:14

same appear to be the primary focus of

29:17

the investigation the second subpoena

29:19

requests a kitchen sink of Township

29:21

records including Financial reports

29:24

budgets payroll records and ordinances

29:27

covering credit crit card purchases

29:29

expense reimbursements security details

29:32

and the use of vehicles The subpoena

29:34

also asks for payments and credit card

29:36

expenditures for a number of Township

29:38

employees including henyard top

29:41

Lieutenant Keith Freeman it's very Broad

29:43

in the scope it's very Broad in the

29:45

number of people and entities they're

29:48

asking uh for records on I was

29:51

pleasantly surprised Stephanie Weedman

29:54

is a former Township employee turned

29:55

whistleblower who's been helping the f

29:58

FBI in its

30:02

investigation over the weekend she took

30:04

part in a rally of Thorton Township

30:06

residents calling on henard to resign

30:09

Weedman says the latest subpoenas are a

30:11

welcome sign I hope that the township

30:13

founds finds a way to be able to recoup

30:17

the damage that has been done but I hope

30:19

that the people that did the

30:21

damage I mean there's repercussions for

30:23

making bad decisions that'll take some

30:26

time for investigators to un tangle the

30:28

mess in Dalton and at the time of

30:30

recording this we're still a year away

30:32

from Dalton's next mayoral election but

30:35

if the next year is anything like the

30:36

last three then the story of Mayor

30:38

henyard and the village of Dalton will

30:40

continue to surprise and infuriate and

30:44

we'll keep covering it right here at Fox

30:46

32 Chicago I'm Dane PLO thanks for

30:49

watching

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

関連タグ
Political ScandalMayor HenyardQuestionable ExpensesPower AbusePublic FundsDalton IllinoisCharity ControversySecurity DetailTaxpayer MoneyFBI InvestigationTransparency Issues
日本語の要約は必要ですか?