La Salle mayor says County Board member should resign after how board member reacted to citation

La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove said La Salle County Board member Mike Kasap should resign after city staff reported Kasap had an outburst at City Hall after receiving a $200 fine for illegal dumping.

Speaking with La Salle city officials July 31 at City Hall, Kasap (D-La Salle) referenced the status of a grant that involved county assistance, saying he would be “up the (economic development director’s) (expletive)” moving forward.

Kasap was cited July 31 on a city ordinance violation for illegal dumping, according to police records. Kasap said he mistakenly dumped the two cardboard boxes he used as a container for his yard waste. Signs at the yard waste site, which is under 24-hour surveillance, warn La Salle residents that they can only dump leaves and yard waste and violators may be fined up to $750.

Kasap was “frustrated” over being fined “for such a small detail” and began discussing the assistance he provided to the city with a recent grant application, according to a record made of the conversation by Deputy Clerk Brent Bader, which was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

At one point, Kasap told Bader he would be “be up (Economic Development Director Curt) Bedei’s (expletive)” moving forward, according to Bader’s report. Bader told Kasap work with Bedei should remain separate from the violation, according to the report.

La Salle officials believe the city’s grant status should not be put in jeopardy based on Kasap’s citation and feared from his rhetoric he was inferring he would use his position to affect future grants.

“He just got reelected, so he has 3½ years left,” Grove said of Kasap. “So, how do I know in the future he’s not going to try to torpedo any future dealings we’re requesting from the County Board? People make mistakes and we understand that, but I can’t believe we are being threatened here.

“I think he should resign. I don’t know how he can hold office with that kind of bias.”

Kasap chose not to comment about the mayor’s call for his resignation.

In an interview Thursday, Kasap said if the city was going to be black and white then he would do the same. Kasap filed his own Freedom of Information Act request Thursday requesting “City of La Salle’s Facade grant request for property improvement” and “ordinance pertaining to a landscape collection center, requirements of use, hours of operation, material disposal regulation.” He said it was for “personal information,” in his request to the city.

“I can’t say I will be any harder,” Kasap said. “But, I will look at the grant application and make sure that we are involved with everybody following the rules. I will create a black-and-white environment as a board member where all the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted.

“So that’s all, it’s not meant to be ornery, but if you want to be involved with not trying to find a compromise when a person admits fault and tries to do something...”

According to records, Kasap had spoken about the citation to La Salle Police Chief Mike Smudzinski, who then lowered the fine to $100. Kasap asked Bader at City Hall, according to Bader’s report, if the chief was allowed to do that. Bader said fines were handled by the police department, according to the report. In a text exchange between the mayor, police chief and Finance Director John Duncan released in the records request, texts were shared from Kasap making reference to the grant, and that he was proud to advocate for the city, but be advised, he would be making sure all federal requirements are followed moving forward, including using contractors with all necessary certifications and an open bid requirement.

Smudzinski told Shaw Local News Network he was trying to work with Kasap, because the illegal dumping was unintentional.

“He told me he had made a mistake and I said we could mark it down, but we couldn’t make it go away,” Smudzinski said.

Kasap said he paid the full $200 fine, because if La Salle wants to follow the rules “to their interpretation,” he would pay the full fine. He also said he offered to pay the fine to Officer Santa, a local charity that helps provide Christmas gifts to less fortunate children if the city agreed to waive the citation.

Grove met with County Board Chairman Don Jensen (R-Deer Park) on Thursday to bring Kasap’s reaction at City Hall to Jensen’s attention and ensure the city receives fair treatment. Bader said Jensen “acknowledged” why the matter was brought to his attention and the mayor shared concerns about what it meant not only for the facade grant but also future grants.

Jensen said the money for the grant already was allocated from the county and Kasap was just one representative of 29 on the board, so he does not foresee an issue on future grants.

As a no-burn community, La Salle residents rely heavily on the yard waste drop off. Grove said the city put up cameras to monitor the drop off location after a recent Illinois Environmental Protection Agency investigation into the site. Last year, La Salle agreed to a Compliance Commitment Agreement with the state’s EPA after illegal dumping by residents caused the city to be in violation of EPA standards.

“This is a hot topic issue for us because we want to still provide this service, but we don’t want to lose it and that’s why we still have cameras out there,” he said. “We’ve been fining a lot of people here over the last year because we don’t want to lose it. This isn’t like the first time we’ve fined anybody.”

Kasap said he has served on the tourism board in Ottawa with Bedei and he enjoys working with him as the economic development director because he has great ideas, so he does not have hard feelings toward him.

“He has great diplomacy and he is very committed to providing for the advancement of our community,” Kasap said. “So, I just wanted to make sure he was aware of the government funding through the (American Rescue Plan Act). There are a lot t’s that need to be crossed and i’s that need to be dotted with the use of the funds.”

Kasap said he had worked with the Land Services Department in La Salle County for more than 12 years and served on the committee, making him aware of the environmental issues and the issues La Salle County has had with illegal dumping along the highways.

“It does create a burden on the community, so I understand all of that,” Kasap said. “And unfortunately, it was one of those mistakes that I had made and in trying to repair the wrong I was told they have a zero-tolerance policy.”

Kasap said he sees the fines as a “kind of a blessing” and hopes residents learn from his mistake.

“I hope my example and trying to repair the wrong that people will understand the rules are made specifically to keep our environment clean and safe,” he said.