Billboards along Interstate 57 near Sibley Boulevard with the spelling errors, stating “Welcome to Thorton Township,” raise several questions.
How does a mistake like misspelling Thornton happen? Did the township spend taxpayer funds on the billboards, and if so, why? Why does a government unit that provides meals for senior citizens, general assistance for low-income families and other services need to advertise itself on a billboard?
The billboards display pictures of embattled Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard, who was appointed to the $277,000 job in March 2022 following the death of political powerhouse Frank Zuccarelli.
News of the billboard blunders first circulated on social media Tuesday and prompted ridicule from some of Henyard’s many critics. State Rep. Thaddeus Jones, who also is mayor of Calumet City, was among those dismayed by the situation.
“The appointed Supervisor of Thornton Township is so busy wasting and stealing taxpayer dollars that she can’t even spell correctly,” Jones posted on Facebook along with a picture of one of the two billboards. “Notice that Thornton is spelled ‘Thorton.'”
Henyard and other township officials did not immediately respond Wednesday to requests for comment. I filed a request Wednesday through the Freedom of Information Act in an effort to determine the cost of the billboards, though the law gives public bodies up to five business days to respond.
The billboards resemble campaign ads and appear to be the latest blatant example of Henyard abusing public resources for personal gain. Henyard, who also is mayor of Dolton, billed taxpayers for legal bills she rang up last year when a state appellate court nullified results of a vote to recall her as mayor.
Voters last June decided by a 12-point margin to recall Henyard as Dolton mayor. But Henyard hired attorney Michael Kasper, who previously represented former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and the Democratic Party of Illinois.
The three-judge panel concluded the Dolton Village Board improperly drafted referendum questions and ordered the Cook County clerk’s office to not certify results of the June 28 recall vote.
Henyard and the Dolton Village Board majority continue to wage court battles over accountability and transparency. Trustees have said Henyard has spent taxpayer money on an ice rink and other pet projects without first obtaining board approval.
Henyard’s practice of giving away gas, food and other resources funded by taxpayers has increased her popularity. She has cleared payrolls of career civil servants and hired cronies perceived as loyal political supporters.
The billboard is just another sign of how Henyard has shattered Zuccarelli’s public service legacy and turned Thornton Township into a marketing and public relations juggernaut. Watchdogs and citizens have sought answers about how much taxpayer funds Henyard spends on hair, makeup, photography, graphic design and other promotions.
Southland politicians like to advertise on billboards along I-57. Past reviews of campaign finance reports, online price estimates from outdoor advertising companies and perspective from an advertising agency president indicate a billboard along I-57 can be leased for about $3,500 for a month.
“There are a lot of variables,” said Sam Shah, president of Skokie-based AdTime Marketing. “The longer you commit to the board the cheaper the price can be.”
About 100,000 vehicles per day travel in each direction along I-57 near Sibley Boulevard, according to Illinois Department of Transportation traffic counts. That’s a lot of eyeballs.
The signs advertising Thornton Township are on the west side of the highway and face both directions, northbound and southbound. They contain messages printed on vinyl, as opposed to digital displays. The vinyl probably cost about an additional $1,000 for each 14- by 48-foot sign, Shah said.
I asked Shah how does a major mistake like spelling Thornton wrong end up in big lettering on a billboard.
“At our agency we create the artwork, we send it to the client, the client has to approve it, then it has to go to my desk for my final approval,” he said. “A mistake like that was overlooked, obviously.”
Thornton Township’s in-house team of graphic designers cranks out an endless stream of promotions plastered across social media. Critics pointed to other recent errors, such as a plea that “vounteers” were needed for a youth summit and that an upcoming barbecue would feature a basketball “tounament.”
Henyard’s penchant for attention and publicity make her seem much more like the star of a reality TV show than a public servant. In March 2022 I wrote that government in Dolton felt more like “The Queen Tiffany Show,” and her behavior has become increasingly erratic over the past year.
Henyard has a DJ play music during public meetings in Dolton and recently entered a Village Board meeting dressed as drug kingpin Nino Brown from the 1991 Wesley Snipes film, “New Jack City.”
Meanwhile, concerned citizens of Dolton and Thornton Township have appealed to Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and others to investigate Henyard’s alleged misuse of public resources, but their appeals seem to fall upon deaf ears.
No one in authority seems to want to meddle in the politics of a village or township. The lack of consequences and need for attention seem to embolden Henyard and push her into bigger and more costly actions, like the I-57 billboard.
The question is, for how much longer can county, state and federal authorities continue to ignore Henyard’s highly questionable use of precious taxpayer resources?
Ted Slowik is a columnist for the Daily Southtown.