Thornton Township board fires two employees
After a brief closed session, trustees moved to fire two township employees, including one who was recently involved in a melee at the township hall.
Thornton Township’s board moved to terminate two employees last week, one of whom is the supervisor’s partner.
Kamal Woods, head of the township’s at-risk youth program, and William Moore are out after trustees Chris Gonzalez, Stephanie Wiedeman, and Carmen Carlisle made the decision after a brief closed session.
Woods, who is the partner of Supervisor Tiffany Henyard, and Moore were both placed on paid administrative leave last month.
The three also briefly spoke on budget items for both the 2024 and 2025 operating years. The board did not approve budgets for its general fund, general assistance fund, and road and bridges fund that day, however, all appropriations ordinances are currently on the township’s website for public review.
“For me, this was more an opportunity for the public to have a view of what is being proposed,” Wiedeman said, so residents can ask questions. They can email Wiedeman directly, she said.
The budgets for consideration begin Mar. 1, 2024, and end Feb. 28, 2025. The township had been in a budget stalemate for most of the prior calendar year.
Township meetings are generally downstairs. However, for security measures, this meeting was moved to a smaller room upstairs. Only the board and news media were allowed in. Attendees sat downstairs, where they could make public comments, however, there wasn’t much of a crowd and there was no public comment. A video feed connected the two rooms.
The shift comes after melee at the board’s last meeting. Woods was one of several individuals involved, along with Henyard. She and trustee Darlene Gray Everett were absent from the meeting.
The next regular meeting is tomorrow at 6:00 PM.
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