Thornton Township suspends bus service for seniors due to government shutdown while Tiffany Henyard and trustees cannot reach an agreement

THORNTON TOWNSHIP, Ill. (WLS) — Bus service for senior citizens ended Friday in south suburban Thornton Township.

The government shutdown is due to disputes between Supervisor Tiffany Henyard and two township trustees, leaving residents who depend on the bus service feeling caught in the middle.

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“It’s a hardship on seniors, they rely on this service,” said resident Tya Robinson.

Robinson called for a ride to a doctor’s appointment from the senior citizen bus service and was told they are no longer offering it.

READ MORE: Thornton Township special meeting fails to reach quorum; Henyard calls for 2 trustees to resign

Concerned about the impact on people’s lives, Henyard emphasized the urgency by saying, “I don’t think people should wait until it becomes life-threatening. The services should not reach a point where they are jeopardizing someone’s access to essential treatments like chemo or dialysis. It’s not just a service; it’s a lifeline.”

Keith Price, Henyard’s assistant, said two trustees’ refusal to attend meetings prevented approval of bus insurance that led to the sudden shutdown.

Expressing frustration with the situation, a resident named Price suggested that intervention is necessary. Price stated, “I think that someone should step in – the State’s Attorney, the Attorney General. Someone should sanction them and remove them from office.”

Trustees Chris Gonzalez and Carmen Carlisle had refused to attend recent meetings over concerns about transparency and Henyard’s handling of township business. Gonzalez told ABC7 a disruption in senior bus service could have been addressed if they were given appropriate information.

“This is something the township was doing long before any of the chaos that’s going on now and this is something that will continue, it’s going to continue, we will get it up and running as soon as possible,” he said.

Carlisle was not available for interview Friday, but told ABC7 she is trying to call an emergency meeting to approve the insurance and restart bus service.