Dalton’s Board of Supervisors voted this week to appoint an acting mayor amid continued political turmoil in the Chicago suburb.
After Mayor Henyard, who is at the center of a series of subpoenas and lawsuits, has missed 25 board meetings, Trustee Jason House has chosen to fill in for embattled Mayor Tiffany Henyard in certain situations. The Board of Trustees has decided that he will serve as a director.
All four Dalton trustees present at Tuesday’s meeting voted in favor of the decision. Two directors were absent.
The village government had been marred by accusations, lawsuits, and investigations of improper spending.
The FBI recently issued three subpoenas to Mr. Henyard, Village Administrator Keith Freeman and Trustee Andrew Holmes seeking various financial reports and receipts.
Mr. Holmes was fired last month by the Chicago Survivors organization after Mr. Henyard’s former assistant accused him of assault. Earlier this month, former assistant Fenia Dukes issued a pre-recorded statement accusing Holmes of having non-consensual sex with her.
The trustees recently hired former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to investigate Henyard and the village’s finances, but Henyard vetoed the hire.
Henyard said the trustees did not have the authority to hire Lightfoot.
“You know it’s a veto,” Henyard said. “It’s not okay to come to someone’s town to do work or anything. … Lori knows better than that. … It’s illegal and she doesn’t get paid for her services.”
