(WGN) — The dysfunction in Dolton, Illinois, spilled into a Cook County courtroom where a judge was asked to hold Mayor Tiffany Henyard in contempt for allegedly meddling in village operations even after being warned not to.
Judge Thaddeus Wilson issued a temporary restraining order Sept. 25, blocking Henyard’s attempts to appoint a new village administrator, village attorney and police chief.
The judge said the law requires the mayor to receive trustees’ approval for those positions.
Trustees opposed to Henyard returned to court Thursday, claiming Henyard disobeyed the order by instructing a vendor to cut off Keith Freeman’s access to village license and permitting software. Freeman was Henyard’s top adviser in both Dolton and Thornton Township before he fell out of favor for cooperating with Henyard’s opponents and she attempted to fire him.
Trustees also claim Henyard’s pick for police chief, who was blocked from assuming the position by the judge, has refused to turn in his badge, uniform and keys to the police station.
Trustees also claim Henyard’s allies have interfered with their efforts to get the locks changed on village buildings to prevent laid-off employees from accessing the facilities.
At Thursday’s hearing, Henyard’s attorney insists his client is cooperating.
“She has promised to follow your order and she will,” attorney Max Solomon told the judge.
The judge declined to hold Henyard in contempt of court but offered a stern warning after the hearing.
“I promise you: I don’t have a problem enforcing my rulings,” Wilson said. “This is fair warning to both sides.”
Solomon later told NewsNation affiliate WGN that trustees’ allegations are “false and dramatic” and only serve to undermine village residents.
“Mayor Henyard has been nothing but a victim of the factional politics … and at the receiving end of the unfortunate consequences of the chronic lack of communication and cooperation,” Solomon said.
On Tuesday, Henyard sent a letter to village administrator Freeman instructing him to be present at the Village Hall from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and submit a written report of the day’s activities to her daily.
Henyard’s administration previously claimed Freeman was frequently not present at Village Hall and failed to perform his duties, leading to their attempt to terminate his employment.
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