SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. Thornton Township officials have suspended the community’s curb-to-curb Senior Transportation Program, putting a snag in residents’ ability to run errands and make appointments.

“They shut down with very little notice, and these appointments were already in place months and months ago,” said resident Tya Robinson. “It’s a vital service. … This has been a lifeline for us.”

The service is the latest disruption to residents due to a lapse in insurance coverage. In December, Thornton Township Hall was abruptly closed, leaving residents unable to access some municipal services.

“We cannot pick residents up. We cannot access our buildings due to the liability. If someone falls, if a car crash happens a car accident we cannot accept that risk,” township supervisor Tiffany Henyard said at a Dec. 30 meeting.

Henyard blames the situation on two trustees, Carmen Carlisle and Chris Gonzalez, who have been at odds with Henyard and haven’t appeared to more than a half-dozen recent board meetings, preventing quorum.

“We cannot move forward with business, we cannot pay bills, we cannot do a lot of things if the board members do not show up,” Henyard said.

Carlisle on Thursday refuted Henyard’s assertion, saying the issues don’t stem from meeting attendance. She added that Henyard had an option to auto-renew the insurance coverage but chose not to act.

“It is about the supervisor’s failure to lead with transparency, accountability, and sound management of township resources,” she said. “The residents of Thornton Township deserve better than excuses and blame-shifting.”

According to internal emails between Gonzalez and the township’s finance director, obtained by WGN, insurance on all township vehicles lapsed on Dec. 1. However, the buses used in the senior transportation program were spotted taking seniors to Henyard’s bingo night later in the month.

“What I do not know is if they had got, like, some one-day insurance or anything like that,” said food pantry manager and Henyard ally Keith Price. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t handle that.”

The next regularly scheduled board meeting is January 14. Gonzalez said he will likely call an emergency meeting prior to that date to approve insurance.