Dolton Mayor Files Lawsuit Over Location of Village Meeting
Background on the Dispute
Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard has filed a lawsuit against a majority of the village’s trustees, following a contentious set of meetings held on Monday. The dispute centers around the location of official village business, with Henyard and two other trustees alleging that a meeting held at the Dolton Park District was illegal.
The Events of Monday
The meeting at the park district was held after a meeting at Dolton’s village hall was canceled due to a lack of quorum. Upon Henyard’s arrival at the park district, she was heckled by some attendees.
The Lawsuit
The lawsuit, which is joined by trustees Andrew Holmes and Stan Brown, claims that the meeting at the park district was illegal and alleges that Dolton’s village hall should be the primary location for conducting village business. They are also seeking to have some business items approved at the meeting voided.
Counterarguments from the Majority of Trustees
Trustee Jason House, who is mayor pro-tempore, argued that a majority of trustees held the meeting at the park district in response to a recent citation from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office for failing to make meetings convenient or open to the public. He stated that changes were made to address these concerns, including providing more seating and removing barricades at the village hall.
Response from the Attorney
Burt Odelson, the attorney for the majority of trustees, characterized the lawsuit as "frivolous" and argued that the majority of trustees followed the attorney general’s recommendations by moving the meeting to a location that was accessible to the public, specifically the park district.
Legal Action
The village clerk, village administrator, and park district are also named in the mayor’s lawsuit. No court dates have been set, but the next Village Board meeting is scheduled for October 21.
Conclusion
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the mayor and majority of trustees, with each side presenting a different perspective on what constitutes a suitable location for conducting village business. The outcome of the lawsuit remains uncertain, and it is unclear whether the dispute will be resolved before the next Village Board meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the core of the dispute?
The core of the dispute centers around the location of village business meetings, with the mayor and some trustees arguing that village hall should be the primary location, while the majority of trustees disagree. - What is the background of the dispute?
The dispute stems from a recent citation from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office for failing to make meetings convenient or open to the public. - What are the demands of the mayor and her trustees?
The mayor and her trustees are seeking a judge to declare village hall as the primary location for conducting village business and to void some of the business items approved at the meeting held at the park district. - What is the position of the majority of trustees?
The majority of trustees argue that they moved the meeting to the park district as a result of the citation and to address accessibility concerns, and that village hall is no longer a suitable location.
