Dolton trustees plan to hire a firm to conduct a “forensic audit” of village finances as the exit nears of an administration under Mayor Tiffany Henyard, who they’ve accused of mismanaging village funds.

Monday was the last regular Village Board meeting before Trustee Jason House is inaugurated as mayor at the May 5 meeting.

Henyard was a no-show Monday, marking her fourth consecutive absence. Board meetings are held once a month.

Trustee Stan Brown, who has in the past been an ally of Henyard, was at the meeting but absent was Andrew Holmes, a staunch supporter of Henyard who has had a spotty attendance record at recent meetings.

In the April 1 general election, House had more than 95% of the vote over Independent mayoral candidate Casundra Hopson-Jordan. In the February primary, House bested Henyard, garnering 88% of the vote.

Residents Dan Lee was among those who congratulated House as well as village clerk and trustee candidates who ran on the Clean House slate.

“I am feeling more optimistic now than I ever have,” Lee said.

House said the community has come together since the election, and said “Clean House has become the community.” The trustee, who first ran with Henyard four years ago, said his Clean House would transition to the label of “Dolton United.”

House said regardless of who supported who in the recent elections, “we are here to serve every resident.”

Dolton resident Thelma Price, speaking to the board while holding her grandson in her arms, echoed House’s comments.

“It’s important we try to heal and not take our old baggage” into the period after the election, Price said.

House said their priorities would be transparency and accessibility.

“Making sure we are accessible and responsive to everyone who contacts us,” he said.

Trustee Kiana Belcher, reelected to the board, moved to request proposals from outside firms to conduct a forensic audit, saying such a probe will “give us some clarity on what we don’t know” about village finances.

Belcher said the audit would focus primarily on spending in the village’s Police, Water and Housing departments.

Last year the state comptroller ordered a forced audit of Dolton finances, ultimately assigning an outside firm to conduct audits after Dolton was unable to find an auditor willing to take on the job.

House said he expects two audits, for the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years, to wrap up within the next four months.

Since Henyard took office, the village has been delinquent in filing annual financial reports and audits with the state comptroller’s office.

Comptroller Susana Mendoza last year said her office notified Henyard and the village of the delinquency for two years, but said the mayor’s office “refused to communicate with us or address the problem.”

Until the delinquent reports are filed, the comptroller is holding back payments to Dolton collected under its offset program.

The program collects debts owed to local governments by deducting from state employee wages, tax refunds or lottery winnings.

For Dolton, that amounts to more than $100,000 a year, according to the comptroller.

In seeking a forensic audit, House said it would be a more detailed probe into village finances. A typical audit, he said, will look at a sampling of financial transactions but a forensic audit will examine every transaction for possible irregularities.

“Forensic audits are much more expensive,” House said.

The Village Board never did adopt a budget for this fiscal year, which ends April 30,. House said he and trustees are working on a draft budget.

Along with House, village Clerk Alison Key will be sworn in May 5, as well as Belcher and Trustee Brittney Norwood, reelected to the board. Also to be sworn in is former trustee Edward “Ed” Steave, who lost his bid for reelection in 2023.

Although vote totals are still unofficial, the Clean House trustee candidates appear to have won office over candidates backed by Henyard.

mnolan@southtownstar .com