Dolton's new Village Administrator faces scrutiny over past allegations

DOLTON - The latest appointment by Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard has sparked significant controversy, as newly hired Village Administrator Michael A. Smith faces questions about his past legal troubles, including allegations of sexual harassment involving a 15-year-old girl and a history of multiple criminal charges.

Smith, 34, was appointed by Mayor Henyard on Tuesday night to a $100,000-a-year position. A longtime figure in south suburban politics, Smith was praised by Henyard for his knowledge and experience.

"The reason for Mike, he has a wealth of great information. He is a young person and ex-politician. He knows the laws like the back of his hand," Henyard said.

However, public records reveal that Smith has had a troubled past, with at least eight criminal charges, ranging from domestic battery to official misconduct.

In 2012, Smith resigned from his position as a trustee in Dixmoor after pleading guilty to theft, following an incident where he allegedly posed as a police officer to steal gasoline.

Then, in 2018, Smith was working as an assistant dean at Thornton Fractional High School when he was fired for "sexual harassment of a female student", "grooming a student with lascivious intent", and "inappropriate/aggressive behavior towards a male student."

According to his termination letter, Smith was accused of contacting a 15-year-old female student on Snapchat with "inappropriate comments" and "making her his girlfriend."

Then, earlier this year, Smith was fired from the ECHO School District for "falsifying information on your employment application."

Dolton Trustee Brittany Norwood expressed concerns about the mayor's decision to hire Smith without properly vetting him.

"We have a constant pattern of her hiring people without doing a proper background check... They can be a great danger to our community," Norwood said.

Four Dolton trustees opposed to Mayor Henyard had postponed Tuesday's meeting, and are now arguing that the appointment of Smith was not legal due to a lack of quorum.

"It's very interesting considering the fact she didn't have a quorum. So I don't understand how somebody should be appointed," Norwood added.

Smith replaces former Village Administrator Keith Freeman, who is now believed to be cooperating with an FBI investigation into Mayor Henyard after being charged with bankruptcy fraud. Despite his charges, Freeman reportedly remains on the village payroll.

When asked about the possibility of having two Village Administrators, Trustee Tammy Brown was adamant, "We don't have the finances for that. We are definitely in a financial bind. And we cannot have two village administrators."

In response to the controversy, Henyard's attorney, Beau Brindley, released a statement from Smith, asserting that the allegations were unfounded.

"DCFS did a full investigation and found the allegations were unsupported...All the charges against (Smith) were ultimately dismissed with the exception of a single petty misdemeanor....Mayor Henyard renounces efforts by any individual to denounce a man's character based on unfounded allegations and charges that have been dismissed."

Smith has already begun working at Dolton Village Hall, but trustees plan to take action at their next board meeting to block his hire.