In Harvey, Illinois, the City Council gathered on Monday for the first session since deciding to seek “financially distressed city” status from the state.

The council chamber was filled with residents eager to engage directly with the mayor.

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Last week, Harvey made the difficult decision to furlough 69 employees after moving to apply for state assistance due to its staggering $160 million debt. Many residents attribute this financial crisis to poor management and a lack of transparency.

“We all want Harvey to prosper,” expressed Diana Love, a resident of Harvey. “We desire true homes, genuine investment, and progress. But the underlying issue is trust.”

Echoing this sentiment, Ryan R. Sinwelski, another resident, stated, “Harvey deserves better than a bailout. It’s appalling and insulting. Simply funding corrupt leadership won’t resolve Harvey’s issues. We need a fresh start, fairness, and justice.”

Ravi Baichwal from ABC7 posed a question to Mayor Christopher J. Clark, inquiring about his response to citizens demanding greater financial transparency and accountability.

“I don’t have a problem with that, because I am definitely open and transparent, and if they think there are issues, they are just pulling them out of thin air… But that seems to be the error that we are in… The silly season of politics doesn’t just end when you get into office,” Clark said.

The mayor says there is no specific timeline for when state help might arrive, but that his administration is doing everything and possibly to bring back those furloughed workers. He told people he’s looking for “brighter minds to come in and help us figure this out.”