Tiffany Henyard questioned about village spending at another contentious Dolton board meeting

DOLTON, Ill. - Another contentious board meeting in the Village of Dolton drew frustrated residents to demand answers from embattled Mayor Tiffany Henyard about village spending, and more.

Interruptions, disorganization and shouting are par for the course during meetings in the south suburb, and it didn't take long for tensions to escalate on Monday evening.

At least three women were escorted out by Dolton police officers after Henyard accused them of behaving ‘out of order.’

More would have been accomplished on Monday, if not for various delays.

At the start of the meeting, Henyard asked everyone who was already seated to get up and go through the metal detectors again, stating that the equipment had not yet been turned on.

"The fact that you would even make us get out of our chairs after we already sat down and got comfortable, to go back through a metal detector, because you weren’t here on time to say that ‘oh they shouldn't have been let in’ – no you should have been here to let us in," said one resident.

Several agenda items were pushed off until the Committee of the Whole meeting, including a motion made by Trustee Kiana Belcher to sell "unapproved purchases" – three Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs and one Ford Expedition. Belcher said during the meeting that if the vehicles are kept, it will cost the village upwards of $700,000 by the end of their five-year leases.

"This village deserves so much more than it’s getting. From an outsider looking in, you’re being hoodwinked, bamboozled, and led astray," said one woman.

On Monday, a village "credit card spending freeze" was approved.

Trustees say this will allow only the Director of Administrative Services to use the village's credit card on ‘board-approved purchases.’ They say there will also be a cap of $5,000 on any given transaction.  

"Watching as this village is being run into the ground by this woman is pissing me off," one longtime resident said during public comment.

"People who say things about me, I want you to prove it, because like I said, fact versus fiction," said Henyard.

In addition to Dolton police officers, Cook County Sheriff’s Police were also present on Monday. While they remained outside for much of the meeting, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they were requested by the village for additional support.