Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on Monday that a few months after his election in 2021, Dolton’s Mayor Tiffany Henyard made a “concrete and systematic effort” to hide the position of village finance from the trustees.
In his final report on his investigation by Henyard and Village Finance, Lightfoot told some 200 inhabitants and continued to hide others and by March 2022, the trustees “were effectively cut from receiving regular financial reports.”
Lightfoot was hired by the village trustees last year to check the expenditure by the village and Henyard’s Henyard administration. Lightfoot gave a initial report of its findings in the last summer.
He credited the trustees on Monday for curbing the expense and taking steps to bring the cost and revenue more into the sink, but said that Dolton still owes sellers for goods and services to the sellers for at least $ 5 million for goods and services. , And a budget deficit continues.
Following his public comments, Lightfoot told reporters that “the residents of Dolton have been unnecessarily suffering due to the financial mismanagement of the current Mayor.”
Trustee Jason House, who is challenging Henyard on 25 February. 25 Democratic Primary said he and other trustees “working to bring them on the right path” as far as the village finance.
Lightfoot’s conclusions “remind us that we have a lot of work to do and we are going to do it,” the house said.
Federal investigators have served the subponus at the Dolton Village Hall and Thornton Township, where Henyard is supervisors, although she faces a major obstacle in demanding a second term as a supervisor.
Lightfoot said he is in touch with the US Attorney Office in Chicago about his findings. He told the audience that, unlike law enforcement, he does not have a sub -power and “consistent challenges” in obtaining the documents and other information required to show a clear picture of the village finance.
Dolton resident Lydi Miller said that she was surprised to hear the findings of the lightfoot.
Miller said, “I don’t know how we came into this dirt and I really don’t know how we can get out of it.” “We need external help, perhaps from the state.”
A revelation of Lightfoot report was in the insurance coverage of the village.
He said that many long -term insurance companies who have provided coverage to Dolton did not opt for the previous spring. The village was capable of receiving insurance for 2024 and this year, but its cost is high and the coverage is low, as far as there is maximum payment on claims for departments such as police.
Apart from spending more, the village also had to give a concession that the mayor is not involved in the insurance coverage for the village officials, Lightfoot said.
Lightfoot stated that an insurer is reluctant to include Henyard in coverage, “potentially risks the villages and taxpayers.”
He said that in recent months the financial situation of the village has improved slightly.
Through the first six months of this financial year, the average monthly expenditure is running at $ 2.1 million, below $ 2.6 million in FY 2024.
So far, this budget year, through October, is both revenue and expenses in the general fund of the village, less than $ 13 million. According to Lightfoot report, in FY 2024, revenue cost about $ 5 million.
In late October, the village was running negative cash balance under only $ 5.5 million, which was improved by a negative balance of $ 5.68 million in late May, according to its report.