DOLTON, Ill. — A celebratory welcome was had for Stanley Brown in south suburban Dolton. Brown, a previous ally of Mayor Tiffany Henyard on the village board of trustees, hasn’t attended a special board meeting in recent months, but that changed Thursday.
“I’m not here jumping ship, I never was on the ship to jump the ship, always been here,” Brown said at the meeting. “Every resident in this village deserves that.”
Dolton’s Board of Trustees postponed their last meeting to Thursday night, but Henyard declared that move illegal, and went ahead without them last week. The board said that makes any decision she made last week invalid.
In the wake of WGN Investigates extensive reporting on Henyard and her allies’ lavish travel on taxpayer dimes – the trustees voted to approve a moratorium on reimbursing the travel for elected officials and employees.
“Taking these trips to all of these conferences and bringing back absolutely nothing means you’re just taking trips on the taxpayers dime,” said Kiana Belcher.
By meeting’s end, residents thanked the trustees for their work in the struggle for control of Dolton’s finances.
“This is the “we” mentality in leadership that we need,” said one resident.
“They have changed the way government is going to be ran forever,” added another resident.
Another topic central to Thursday night’s meeting was the board of trustees’ announcement the village is in search of a new bank.