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Calumet City Council meets outside, votes to drop lawsuit against clerk amid tensions with mayor

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Published  December 4, 2024 9:15pm CST
Calumet City
FOX 32 Chicago

Calumet City Council meets outside, votes to drop lawsuit against clerk amid tensions with mayor

On a freezing Wednesday night, Calumet City council members gathered on the steps of City Hall for a brief but controversial meeting after they were locked out of the building.

The Brief

    • Calumet City council members held a meeting on City Hall steps after being locked out, citing the mayor’s attempt to block their session.
    • The council voted to drop a lawsuit against City Clerk Nyota Figgs, despite the mayor disputing their authority to do so.
    • The mayor cited plumbing issues for City Hall's closure, but council members alleged political motives behind the abrupt shutdown.

CALUMET CITY, Ill. - On a freezing Wednesday night, Calumet City council members gathered on the steps of City Hall for a brief but controversial meeting after they were locked out of the building.

The council claims Mayor Thaddeus Jones closed City Hall earlier in the day to prevent them from convening.

The meeting, lasting just two minutes, was called to address a lawsuit filed by the city against City Clerk Nyota Figgs. Council members quickly voted to dismiss the suit, despite Mayor Jones asserting that only he has the authority to make such decisions.

City Hall was abruptly shut down around noon on Wednesday, with the mayor citing plumbing issues. The council, however, wasn’t convinced, pointing to caution tape and barricades that blocked their access as evidence of the mayor's interference.

"The mayor has not allowed that motion to be on the agenda, so that’s why we are here tonight, that’s why we are locked out of City Hall, and that’s why we are having this meeting on the front steps," said Alderman James Patton, who spearheaded the meeting.

The lawsuit dates back to 2021, shortly after Mayor Jones, who is also a state representative, ordered an audit of City Hall. He alleges that Figgs destroyed two truckloads of city records without authorization, prompting the legal action. Figgs, who took roll call at the outdoor meeting, expressed relief after the council’s vote.

"It’s been four years of bullying, being locked out of the office, just my duties taken away, demeaning text messages being sent out about me," Figgs said.

Mayor Jones released a statement calling the council’s actions a political stunt.

"The city council doesn’t have the authority to dismiss a lawsuit. Under ordinance number 2-492, only the mayor can direct legal work. This is a political ploy by a failed candidate and a city clerk who destroyed city records," he said.

Despite the dispute, council members hope the lawsuit is now dropped. As for City Hall, a notice posted on the door stated it would reopen on Friday.

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