‘We’ve got voices, we need to be heard’: Thornton Township residents hold rally, demand answers over Henyard’s spending

CALUMET CITY, Ill. — A group of outraged community members rallied in Calumet City over the weekend, demanding answers from the leaders of Thornton Township.

Dozens of concerned Thornton Township residents gathered in a parking lot on Saturday to share ideas and concerns during the “Take Back Our Township Rally.”

They are asking residents from the 17 different municipalities that make up the township to reach out to their local mayors and state representatives as they call for transparency from embattled Dolton Mayor and Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard. Those who gathered said they wanted her and her top aide Keith Freeman to resign from their jobs.

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Many say they no longer trust the township’s leaders and are calling for resignations from those at the top.

“She’s accountable for spending, she refuses to show receipts. What is that?” Dolton resident Demetrice Hardy said.

WGN Investigates has uncovered Henyard and her allies have spent thousands on trips, much of it paid by taxpayers.

In recent weeks their spending has received the attention of the FBI.

“I see a lot of mismanagement of our tax dollars,” Hardy said.

Now residents say they want to know exactly where tax dollars have gone.

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“We’re trying to give attention to all the municipalities,” Harvey resident Ryan Sinwelski said.

Event organizers say nothing will change if people from the township don’t come together and demand accountability.

“We’ve got voices we need to be heard,” rally organizer Mary Avent said.

Efforts to reach Henyard for comment on the group’s demands and concerns were unsuccessful.

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