The self-proclaimed “super mayor” of a small Illinois town has accused her nearly $300,000 salary and brazen spending of public money on planes, steakhouses and billboards while her village faces a deficit. He hit back at his critics.
Tiffany Henyard, a Democrat who was elected mayor of Dalton in 2021, argued at a public meeting Monday that her critics are simply upset because she is a Black woman in power. .
“You all should be ashamed of being black. You all are black,” the attractive mayor said during the livestreamed meeting. “And everyone too. [are] You’re sitting here beating and attacking black women who are in power. ”
Henyard, who also serves as Thornton Township supervisor, went on to slam her village trustee, who filed a lawsuit against her for forging checks and withholding financial records.
“You guys forget that I’m the leader. They want to hear from the mayor,” she said of the 20,000 residents. “You haven’t learned that yet.”
“The mayor is not a trustee who does nothing. They just talk,” she continued, clearly irritated.
“You are not all without work or without work.”
According to a copy of the town’s credit card statement. Obtained from WGN9, Taxpayers shelled out more than $67,000 for Henyard’s trips to destinations such as Austin, Atlanta and New York City, often flying first class.
In Atlanta, Henyard and his advisers stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel, where they spent about $9,347, and in New York, they stayed at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, where the hotel charged them $13,098.
Among other charges, the town, where residents earn a median annual salary of $24,000, was found to have racked up more than $23,000 in restaurant bills across the state from July to November.
Nakita Cloud, who briefly served as Chancellor Henyard’s chief of staff in Dalton, regularly sent aides and supporters to eat at high-end restaurants at taxpayer expense, even if they didn’t actually discuss government business. He said he had been invited.
Meanwhile, in the village, signs with Henyard’s face and name line the streets.
She also uses six village employees as her personal security, according to Fox 32. Received from a Freedom of Information Act request..
Police officers are paid every two weeks. Often for one paycheck he works more than 100 hours, as a result of which he is paid overtime.
Additionally, taxpayers were apparently charged thousands of dollars for meals and hotel accommodations during charity events for Henyard’s own cancer organization, and funds and resources were even used to pay for Henyard’s prolific social media channels. It is said that it was used.
“I don’t think she deserves to be mayor. I think she wants to be a reality TV star,” Cloud said.
It was not immediately clear whether Ms. Henyard pays her own make-up artists and stylists before public events.
But a public relations firm representing both the town and village defended Henyard’s use of tax dollars.
“When it comes to travel and expenses, it is important to note that many officials are often involved in these expenditures,” a spokesperson told WGN.
“These trips play an important role in building relationships, attracting investment and securing valuable resources for the development of our town.”
The spokesperson added that the tax money spent on events for Ms Henyard’s charity was “made in accordance with the approved budget”.
But Trustee Jason House said the village has now lost $5 million over the past two years.
The resulting budget cuts were blamed on broken water pipes and the lack of police presence when four people were shot and injured last week.
“It’s unfortunate that politics is being played,” Police Chief Lewis Lacy said. “What’s happening is $1 million of my budget is being cut because of politics.”
Dalton Trustee Brittney Norwood was more blunt about Henyard at the meeting: We’re saying that we all have peace of mind because we’re assigning all of them to be here together when they’re supposed to be out here to protect our residents,” WGN9 said.
In addition to the frivolous spending allegations, Henyard also sparked outrage over a controversial pay plan he successfully proposed in Thornton Township. Her critics claim this was a strategy to deter those who opposed her.
Henyard, who earns a combined salary of $285,000 in her two roles, has offered to cut her salary by nearly 90% if someone else wins her seat in the next election, Fox 32 said. reported. However, if Henyard is re-elected, her salary will remain the same.
Still, Henyard insists he remains a loyal servant to the residents.
“Everything we do is for the people…but we are under attack,” she told residents at a rally Monday.
“We are under scrutiny from the media. For what? To love people? To show that they are important to us?
“We will walk through the fire for you,” she insisted.
