Thornton Township meeting canceled, but Supervisor Tiffany Henyard speaks uninterrupted

THORNTON TOWNSHIP, Ill. – A scheduled meeting in Thornton Township Wednesday night was canceled before it was able to get off the ground.

With no trustees in attendance, the special Thornton Township meeting called by Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard ended before it began, but Henyard saw an opportunity to speak uninterrupted to the small group of people in the room.

“This is me making my statement. If you guys do not want to hear this, there’s the door,” Henyard said. “This is not a Q&A, this is me giving my statement so the residents know what’s going on in Thornton Township.”

“The residents already know you’re stealing from them,” an audience member replied.

Some chose to leave the room, while those who stayed heard Henyard speak for about 30 minutes.

“That’s what all the hate is about. Your super mayor became too powerful too quick,” Henyard said. “I’m so rare, I’m so unique, and that’s why everybody got problems all about control.”

Others, however, would say the scrutiny comes from questions about how Henyard has been spending money in the township and the Village of Dolton, where she’s also the mayor.

This week, WGN Investigates revealed the travel expenses Henyard and her administration tried to hide . We sued for access to credit card records and found $67,000 billed to Thornton Township taxpayers for five months of travel grew to over $100,000 when you add what was charged to Dolton residents.

The only explanation was Henyard and her people “attended conferences.”

Henyard’s former assistant – now Thornton Township trustee Carmen Carlisle – is now accusing Henyard of manipulating residents .

Carlisle said in a statement, “My decision to come forward as a whistleblower reflects my commitment to transparency, fairness, and accountability within the Township. I encourage other victims to come forward and speak out. We cannot allow this behavior to continue unchallenged. It’s time for us to demand better for our Township and stand together against those who misuse their power.”

“Spending, I don’t know anything about that. You have to spend money to have events,” said Thornton Township resident Bennetta Garrison.

At last week’s meeting, the trustees voted to regulate the budgets for the events Henyard organizes. Meanwhile, she and her staff are accusing them of leaving children and seniors in a lurch.

“We went to pick up the cake for the seniors, and they told us your card doesn’t work,” one trustee said.

“I want the boys and girls of the next generation to see what it looks like to come out of controversy and all the hatred unscathed,” Henyard countered. “At the end of the day, God gave his test to his strongest soldiers.”

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