The political power struggle continues in Dolton after Mayor Tiffany Henyard appeared in court seeking to force the village board to hold meetings at Village Hall.
The dispute stems from two dueling meetings in two different locations on Oct. 7. Henyard filed a lawsuit following those meetings against several trustees on the village board and on the village's park district, saying meetings should still be held at Village Hall.
Trustees pushed back, citing a binding opinion from the Attorney General's Public Access Bureau that directed the village to take measures to make meetings convenient and open to the public, including a demand that meetings be held at a location with enough space to be reasonably accessible.
Henyard's suit demanded that village hall be the primary place for conducting village business, but a Cook County Chancery judge ruled against her on Monday.
“The meetings have to be held somewhere other than the village – just like the Attorney General said,” said Attorney Burt Odelson who represents a majority of trustees.
Residents had previously complained about barricades, street closures and inadequate space at board meetings.
“The people of Dolton, they filed the complaint, not lawyers. This is about people of Dolton and trustees trying to make it right” Odelson said.
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Henyard was in court today with Trustee Andrew Holmes, who is also part of the lawsuit. They did not speak, but their attorney did speak.
“The mayor has always been clear, the people of Dolton deserve to know where their business is being conducted …one meeting one place – that is all we were asking for,” said Attorney Max Solomon.
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The judge also rejected Henyard’s request to void much of the business approved at that Oct. 7 meeting. The judge also said he was concerned about mayor pro-tem – Jason House over stepping his boundaries, saying that Henyard is the elected mayor and has the duty to preside over meetings.
The next village board meeting could be held at the park district, if the park district board agrees.
