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* CBS Chicago…
The Village of Dolton is more than $3.5 million in the hole, an investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s misuse of village funds has found.
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is leading the investigation into Henyard. Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, in April, agreed to investigate the claims about the misuse of public funds—which Henyard has repeatedly denied.
A community packed a special village meeting to hear firsthand what Lightfoot uncovered. The crowd gasped when the revelations were announced—and many were left furious, and further questioning where their tax dollars are going. […]
A limited examination of the books revealed that as of May 31, 2024, the Dolton Village General Fund had a negative balance of $3.65 million. Folks shook their heads in disbelief as Lightfoot—the special investigator hired by village trustees—showed there are simply no checks and balances with the records she found.
* FOX 32…
SHOCKING: There were audible gasps in the crowd moments ago when Lori Lightfoot revealed this image regarding Dolton funds under the leadership of Mayor Tiffany Henyard | WATCH LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/vEc1pUm0as pic.twitter.com/llQoUXS8MH
— FOX 32 News (@fox32news) August 9, 2024
Lightfoot said the village’s general fund, used for paying most village expenses, had gone from a healthy multimillion-dollar surplus a couple of years ago to deficits.
Revenue for the general fund was $24.6 million in fiscal year 2024, which ended April 30 of this year, and expenses were $30 million, she said. […]
Lightfoot said village vendors who have performed services or other work for Dolton are awaiting payment, and that 589 checks totaling more than $6 million have been approved but not sent to vendors because the village lacks the cash.
Lightfoot said she plans to do more work, including looking into spending by village officials for travel.
* WGN…
One of the biggest reactions tonight came when Lightfoot presented an example of police overtime. In a PowerPoint presentation, Lightfoot showed two officers made more in overtime than their base salaries, totaling $192,000 for one officer, and $227,000 for another in the last fiscal year.
The acting police chief Lewis Lacey, who we learned tonight has been terminated, isn’t even eligible for overtime, and yet, he’s gotten more than $200,000 in overtime over the last four fiscal years.
* NBC Chicago…
Multiple purchases made by the village are under investigation, including $40,000 worth in purchases from Amazon. The Dolton Village Board recently approved a change to the village’s credit card policy.
Lightfoot said that Henyard, the subject of numerous lawsuits and investigations, did not cooperate with her investigation. […]
The Village Board also said locks at Village Hall have been changed for a third time, leaving multiple elected officials without access.
posted by Isabel Miller
Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 8:07 am
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I hope Lightfoot got paid up front
Comment by DuPage Saint Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 8:35 am
My guess is that it’ll take Dolton ten years to rebuild that general fund balance once they manage to get rid of Henyard.
Comment by sulla Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 8:47 am
I feel bad for the residents of Dolton and Thornton Township. Property taxes are already outrageous in the south suburbs and to see that money being wasted has to be infuriating.
Comment by Barrister's Lectern Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:00 am
Imagine knowing you’re going to prison, and just having to watch it slowly play out. Enjoy the freedom you have left, Tiffany. Hope you like orange.
Comment by Bob Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:06 am
I still have no idea how it’s taken this long to indict her. Most of this stuff was public knowledge (at least on the township side) two years ago.
Comment by So_Ill Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:09 am
“isn’t even eligible for overtime, and yet, he’s gotten more than $200,000 in overtime over the last four fiscal years”
I’d be more upset if this was in any way uncommon. Only thing that sticks out here is the amount.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:10 am
Tiffany Henyard doesn’t have the decency to resign. Her extravagant habits will continue until such time as she is convicted and dragged out of office kicking and screaming.
So sad for a blue collar, working class community.
Comment by Gravitas Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:26 am
Someone has been raiding the piggy bank.
How long until that someone goes on the lam.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:27 am
I wonder if you did a full audit of every municipality, village, etc, how many you’d find have similar issues that haven’t blown up yet. Not necessarily to the level of having negative money, but I mean just piles of cronyism, people getting unearned pay, etc.
I’ve had an unproven belief for a long time that corruption and fraud is rampant in small towns, but so long as it isn’t massively overt, there is just no one watching the henhouse.
Comment by Homebody Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:32 am
@Downstate
There certainly is, but I’m willing to bet it’s not the lesson you took away.
Comment by Bob Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:47 am
“Henyard did nothing wrong.” - Rita Crundwell
Comment by Save Ferris Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:50 am
=There’s a lesson in that.=
The lesson being that Tiffany Henyard hasn’t cornered the market in victimhood amongst politicians. From Blagojevich to Trump we’ve seen this movie before.
I suspect that once the dust settles we’ll find out that the corruption in Dolton goes beyond the mayor. While I anticipate the mayor’s role will be front and center, there are likely many others who either participated in or enabled the actions that are coming to light. I’m guessing people will start cutting deals to save their own skin.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 9:51 am
Municipalities go through independent audits every year. The auditors have to report their findings to the city council at a public meeting. I don’t get how this level of unauthorized spending could go unflagged.
There are some things that audits don’t always catch, like when money is diverted before its put into the accounting system (looking at you, Rita Crundwell), but catching this kind of unauthorized spending is the whole point of audits.
Comment by Duck Duck Goose Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 10:01 am
=Lightfoot said the village’s general fund, used for paying most village expenses, had gone from a healthy multimillion-dollar surplus a couple of years ago to deficits=
Who has been doing their CAFR or Audit for the past few years? In the management letter the auditors should have pointed out problems in overspending and things like poor segregation of duties and lax spending /credit card use controls or policies.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 10:13 am
Can someone who knows tell us how Henyard won in the first place? Unfortunately I dont pay as much attention to tge south suburbs as I once did.
Comment by low level Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 10:13 am
—Can someone who knows tell us how Henyard won in the first place?—
She was a Village Trustee before running for Mayor. While a Trustee, she used to fight the previous Mayor tooth and nail about any type of spending. She complained about him going to the Mayors conference on Dolton’s dime, stated that he should pay himself since he gets a paycheck. When she became Mayor, she went on 10 or so trips on the taxpayer dime. As one trustee said a while ago, Trustee Henyard and Mayor Henyard are 2 completely different people!
Comment by South Side Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 10:22 am
A walking satire of the fiefdoms that exist in the south suburbs.
Comment by NIU Grad Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 10:27 am
South Side, thank you very much for that.
Comment by low level Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 10:50 am
When I was back there the last time, there were signs all along an old railroad right of way promoting the water park and winter activity space coming. Of course, all of the signs had her picture or it; her photo is so present around there that it’s like North Korea.
It’s unfortunate how she has driven stuff into the ground there. Dolton didn’t need any help with problems, and she sure has helped them have more problems.
Comment by OneMan Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 10:51 am
You have to give her some credit, she’s not going down over a couple thousand bucks shaking down a Burger King. She really went hard.
Comment by Excitable Boy Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 11:17 am
- Homebody - It is a fair position to take, and I don’t disagree that there are plenty of bad actors out there in local government, but to think that this level of corruption is common place in even a small percentage of communities downplays insane level of corruption this investigation is uncovering.
Dolton hasn’t complied with statutory accounting standards since 2021 according to the presentation. I wonder why there is not a law that would trigger some type of investigation by the AG’s Office when a public body fails to complete an annual audited accounting statement/report.
Comment by Parlay Player Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 12:05 pm
Way too many local units of government. The state should just dissolve all of them and start again. Have much larger, professional run or just merge with Chicago. No reason for any of this to exist.
Comment by GoneFishing Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 12:46 pm
That is a heck of a grift: $8M siphoned off in two years.
Comment by thechampaignlife Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 12:58 pm
It is remarkable the Mayor has not yet been indicted by the Feds- the delay is harming every citizen of Dolton
Comment by Sue Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 1:49 pm
==No reason for any of this to exist.==
Then you may have had her in charge of an even larger unit of government and able to misappropriate larger amounts of money. Is that what you really want?
Comment by low level Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 1:58 pm
That type of money isn’t spent on trips to Vegas and nickel-and-dime stuff, that is serious dollars.
There is no way they spent that kind of money on trips to Vegas and other nickel-and-dime things. Where is the actual money? I’m betting you’ll find some properties or a slew of custom cars or some other extravagance, once the investigation gets fully revealed.
Comment by Frida's boss Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 2:49 pm
With Dolton not filing the required audits with the Comptroller since 2021, according to statute by now the Comptroller should have required audits to be completed, per 65 ILCS 5/8-8-4. “In the event the required audit report is not filed within the time specified…the Comptroller shall cause such audit to be made by an auditor or auditors.” The deadline is 180 days after the end of the town’s fiscal year plus at most a 60 day extension. According to the Comptroller’s website the late reports were due 10/27/22 & 10/27/23. So the Comptroller might need to answer some questions about that.
Comment by MyTwoCents Friday, Aug 9, 24 @ 3:41 pm