East Central Reporter

After the recent Dolton Village Trustees meeting, held at the Dolton Park District by a majority of the board, Mayor Tiffany Henyard and two trustees have filed a lawsuit. The lawsuit targets three Dolton Trustees and the Dolton Park District. The aim is to force meetings to be held at the Dolton village hall and prevent the park district from allowing its facilities for such gatherings.

A rare binding opinion was recently issued by the Attorney General, stating that Dolton and Mayor Henyard violated the Open Meetings Act. It noted that meetings were being held in locations unable to accommodate expected attendance. Additionally, it highlighted "unnecessary security measures such as street closures, parking barricades, and an excessive police presence" which hinder public access or create a hostile environment deterring attendance.

Meetings at the Park District are described as peaceful, without barriers or excessive police presence. Mayor Henyard attended last week's meeting after failing to achieve quorum in her own meeting. During her brief attendance, she declared herself as mayor and announced several appointments without disclosing names or including them on the agenda, possibly violating a court's restraining order against unlawful appointments.

The lawsuit was filed using an attorney purportedly representing Henyard and two trustees without being lawfully appointed "with the advice and consent of the board." The complaint suggests Henyard wants meetings conducted in her preferred manner with her police officers present to manage attendees and potential technical issues like microphone problems when others speak.

The press release concludes with skepticism about the viability of this lawsuit: "This lawsuit cannot stand and should be summarily dismissed by the Court."