Dolton election

Henyard’s victory in the Feb. 23 primary was good for her — maybe too good as some people already think she is the mayor.

“A lot of people don’t understand that I have another opponent, so I’ve been educating the people on what’s going on,” she said. “Everybody assumed that I won already. They need to go out and vote.”

Burge said he stayed out of the primary fray because he wanted to face a candidate one on one, and said trustees running against each other and complaining about the board’s actions do not make sense.

“What are you going to do different?” Burge said. “What are you going to do at 5 o’clock in the afternoon that you didn’t do at 9 o’clock that morning? If you sat on there for eight years, what are you going to do different in your ninth year? If you haven’t brought anything to the table and you are yelling and screaming and get nothing done, who benefits from it?”

Henyard, who would be the first female mayor in the village, said people want to have trees trimmed, streets paved and sidewalks repaired.

She said if she is elected, she will get that accomplished right away, starting with the west side and moving east.

Next on her list is trying to fight crime in the community. She said that she will remove police Chief Ernest Mobley and replace him with former Chief Robert Collins Jr. She said she would let Collins decide if Mobley will stay on with the force in some capacity.

“We want to make the police department one with the community,” she said.

Earlier this month, the village received $2.7 million in Recovery Act funding from the federal government, and Henyard said she wants it to go to “residents in dire need” because of the pandemic and other factors.

She said she wants a moratorium on water being shut off to those who can’t afford their bills and to have a forensic audit done on the housing and water departments. She wants to use a chunk of the money to build up businesses in town.

“I want to make sure everyone gets what they need,” she said. “I want to make sure we start them on the right track from Day 1.”

Burge’s top priority is crime as he said crime has gone up since he left as police chief in Dolton in 2013. He says he wants landlords and tenants accountable and trying to control the high water bills.

Controversy seems to easily find him, but Burge said he has the residents interest in mind in his decisions.

“People may not like it or might not like my style but at the end of the day, I am a police chief and I am responsible for the operation in that town,” he said. “It will be the same thing in Dolton. And the buck stops here. I have true track record and I will say it over and over and over again, I have proven effective leadership.”

Alison Key won the Democratic primary for clerk and Jason House, Brittney Norwood and Kiana Belcher won the primary for three trustee spots. All four are unopposed for this election.

Ronnie Burge

Age: 63

Occupation: Police chief in Dixmoor

Lived in Dolton: 21 years

Civic experience: chief of staff with the Illinois State Senate 15th Legislative District; special assistant and assistant to the mayor for two villages; board member, Lincoln Medical Center, Ashley’s Quality Care, Thornton Township Regional Action Planning Project and Harvey and Dolton police pension boards.

Tiffany Henyard

Age: 37

Occupation: Owner of Good Burger Restaurant in Chicago Heights

Lived in Dolton: 30 years

Civic experience: Dolton village trustee; member, Dolton Chamber of Commerce