Residents in suburban Thornton Township found a closed main office and no one answering phones as some services were halted due to an ongoing lapse in the township’s insurance policies.
A spokesperson for Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard said the partial shutdown comes amid concerns about liability, as the township’s insurance policy has lapsed. That occurred amid a continuing showdown between Henyard and her supporters and several members of the board who are sparring over a variety of issues and challenges.
Amid that showdown, Thornton Township residents were met with closed doors when they tried to inquire about a variety of services on Wednesday.
“We come here for help and the doors are locked,” resident Darlene Lewis said. “What’s going on? What do we do? What do we have to do?”
Lewis receives assistance with her electric bill from the township, and is concerned about keeping her service because of the ongoing issues within the township.
“I’m going to be in the dark,” she said. “My apartment is electric. I can’t cook.”
Henyard’s supporters blamed Trustees Christopher Gonzalez and Carmen Carlisle for stonewalling township business.
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“We were advised by the attorneys to close the building,” spokesperson Keith Price said. “The building shouldn’t be open. The risk is great.”
Henyard has recently warned that a government shutdown is on the table if liability insurance coverage isn’t reinstated. Price said that the township can’t renew the policy because of an ongoing budget stalemate, leaving them unable to pay bills.
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“They played Russian Roulette with the insurance,” Price said.
Gonzalez pushed back on those statements, saying the board has never voted on insurance, and that Henyard could have signed off on it. Instead, he said that the township’s insurance policy has been allowed to lapse as a leverage tool by Henyard and her supporters.
“I’m thinking it’s just a ploy so we can’t have a meeting at the building,” he said.
Gonzalez and Carlisle were not present for a planned board meeting on Tuesday night, leaving the board unable to meet for lack of quorum. They have both raised concerns about spending by Henyard’s administration and about safety issues during the often-heated meetings that have taken place amid those questions.
They also have pushed back on attempts by Henyard to appoint a replacement for Trustee Jerry Jones, who resigned his post in early October.
Both trustees have said they want the decision on a replacement for Jones to come from the township’s electors rather than Henyard.
“If she gets someone seated in that seat where she gets another vote, we’re going back to all that (lack of transparency),” Gonzalez said. “To me, I want it to go to the people.”
It remains unclear how long the main building will be closed, with Gonzalez saying bus service is still running. Other township buildings are also open, according to officials.
The current plan is for trustees to have a special board meeting Friday to take care of essential business.
