April 28th 2024.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon in Calumet City, dozens of concerned residents from Thornton Township gathered in the old Sears parking lot at River Oaks Center. Their purpose? To protest and organize against the embattled mayor of Dolton, Tiffany Henyard, who also happens to be the township supervisor.
The rally marked the first step in their efforts to unite the community against Henyard's controversial actions. The mayor has faced criticism and even an investigation for her extravagant trips, questionable contract awards, and the way she spends village and township funds. In fact, her salary as supervisor has ballooned to a staggering $224,000, a stark contrast to the average salary of under $50,000 for the same position in Cook County, according to the Township Officials of Illinois group. Henyard was appointed to the position after her predecessor, Frank Zuccarelli, passed away in 2022.
With all these issues coming to light, the residents of Thornton Township believe that it is time for new leadership. They have growing concerns about how their hard-earned tax money is being utilized, especially when it comes to essential services such as road and bridge maintenance, as well as support for the indigent and social services.
Some of these concerns were sparked by the township's recent annual meeting, where Henyard presented the budget numbers without providing any written details or copies of the budget, according to her critics. This lack of transparency only added fuel to the fire for residents like Mary Avent, chairperson of the Advisory Committee to the People's Trustees of Dolton. Avent formed this group earlier this year with the goal of bringing together the 17 township communities and taking a stand against Henyard.
During the rally, Avent urged her fellow residents to join forces and put pressure on state and local elected leaders to investigate the township's finances. She firmly believes that this will not only shed light on the root cause of their high taxes but also hold those responsible accountable for the declining public services.
Avent's group plans to launch a Facebook page soon, and in the meantime, she encourages residents to reach out to her for updates or to offer their support. She emphasizes that anyone can call her at 708-932-2409, and she will be there to listen and help in any way she can.
The residents of Thornton Township have not taken these matters lightly, as they have already seen the decline in services and the increase in taxes firsthand. One of the speakers at the rally, Stephanie Wiedeman, a former employee of the township, shared her experience of how services have diminished over the years, leaving many residents feeling neglected and dissatisfied.
Wiedeman's sentiments were echoed by another former employee, Sandra Tracy, who served as the human resources manager for the township. Tracy shared that out of the 198 people she worked with during her time there, 138 have been fired without any opportunity to pass on their knowledge to their successors. She, along with other former employees, is currently suing the township for wrongful termination.
As the voices of these concerned residents grow louder, it becomes increasingly evident that something needs to change. Tracy and Wiedeman both stress the importance of understanding how the budget is being spent, as it is ultimately the taxpayers' money. They believe that it is their right to know where their hard-earned money is going.
It is time for the officials of Thornton Township to listen to the concerns of their residents and take action. As one attendee, Tracy Morris, puts it, "It's absolutely time for a change." She, like many others, has noticed the decline in services and the lack of transparency in the township's finances. It is time for the officials to be open and honest with the community, as they have every right to know what is going on with their tax dollars. The residents deserve better, and it is up to the officials to deliver it.
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