FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  MAYOR JEFF GROVE FAILED US: 20 Years of Power, $17 Million in Debt, and a City Left in Ruins

MAYOR JEFF GROVE FAILED US: 20 Years of Power, $17 Million in Debt, and a City Left in Ruins

LaSalle, IL — Over a decade after construction, LaSalle residents are still paying the price for a failed wastewater treatment plant—a $17 million mistake that barely functions, drains public funds, and stands as a symbol of Mayor Jeff Grove’s broken promises and financial mismanagement.

Imagine This Was Your Home...

Imagine being told you needed to build a dream home—top-of-the-line, future-ready, high-tech. So you take out a $17 million loan, excited for what’s coming. But then, the land you were told would be booming never gets built. No jobs. No stores. No waterpark. Nothing.

Now the home is barely used. The pipes are rotting. The walls are cracking. And even though you pay over $500,000 every year, you still owe $6.4 million. And to make matters worse, the bank says you can’t walk away. You’re stuck. You can’t live in it. You can’t shut it down. You just keep paying.

That’s what Mayor Jeff Grove left LaSalle with.

A massive loan. A broken system. And a future we didn’t agree to—but are still paying for.

The Broken Plant Built on a Broken Vision

Built between 2010–2012 under Grove’s leadership, the East End Wastewater Treatment Plant was sold to the public as a high-tech solution for a booming east-side development that never materialized. It was supposed to serve a waterpark, warehouse district, and explosive growth. But none of it came.

What LaSalle got instead was a plant designed to process over 500,000 gallons of wastewater per day—while averaging only about 5-8 . The result? A facility that is rotting from the inside due to underuse.

"They built a $17 million plant and they are not even using it... all the infrastructure... has been damaged by the lack of flow." — Finance Committee Minutes, p. 138

 The Loan That Won’t Die

The project was funded by a $17 million IEPA loan, allegedly backed by partial ARRA grant funds. But despite over a decade of payments—at $586,000 per year—the city still owes over $6.4 million.

"The city pays $576,000/year on the WasteWater treatment plant loan and there will be $6 million left to pay... If the city paid for that out of TIF, $9 million [would be] left in the fund." — Finance Committee Minutes, p. 71–72

Originally, the city was to pay this through sewer revenues. But the sewer fund is projected to lose $1.3 million. Now, the city is using TIF (Tax Increment Financing) funds—money meant to revitalize neighborhoods and support small business development—to quietly cover the debt.

"The $586,000 that he budgeted in last year was for a transfer in from the TIF funds... the city will be running out of TIF money." — Finance Committee Minutes, p. 138

Structural Failure and Legal Immunity

The plant isn’t just underused—it’s falling apart:

• A major structural wall collapsed.

• A slide gate leaks continuously.

• The design is incompatible with LaSalle’s climate.

• The city must pay $125,000 for repairs and $100,000 just to inspect the damage.

“It was leading edge technology that shouldn't have ever been built in the city of LaSalle. The plant is in too cold of a climate for it to work and function properly.” — Finance Committee Minutes, p. 138

“He doesn't believe that it was [built to spec]... It was built by R&R and beyond their capabilities.” — Finance Committee Minutes, p. 140

Because more than 12 years have passed, the city has no legal recourse. It’s too late to sue, too expensive to fix, and too costly to run.

Can’t Use It. Can’t Shut It Off.

Even if LaSalle wanted to abandon the plant, doing so could cause the state to revoke its operating permit—meaning it could never legally be restarted. It's the financial equivalent of owning a house you can’t live in, can’t sell, and still owe a mortgage on.

"If we shut it off, we may never be able to turn it back on." — Finance Committee Minutes, p. 138

 A Legacy of Financial Mismanagement

This plant was Mayor Jeff Grove’s project. His administration oversaw the planning, borrowing, and building. And now, his decisions are bleeding LaSalle dry.

• TIF money is being diverted to cover loan payments.

• Development funds are being siphoned away from local businesses, streets, and revitalization.

• Transparency has been lacking. No full audit has been conducted. No explanation has been given.

"The city is paying on a debt service for a building that was a mistake and continues to have all of the maintenance issues..." — Finance Committee Minutes, p. 139

 The Call for Immediate Action

With $6.4 million still owed and development money drying up, voters deserve answers:

• Why was this plant ever approved without guaranteed development?

• Why are TIF funds being used to bury the mistake?

• Why hasn’t a full public audit been conducted?

This election is not just about who will lead LaSalle next—it’s about who will clean up the financial wreckage left behind.

Media Contact:

Jamie Hicks

Investigative Journalist, Hicks News

Email: thejamiehicksshow@yahoo.com

Website: www.thejamiehicksshow.com

#LaSalleWaste #FailedLeadership #GroveDebt #TIFMisuse #Election2025 #HicksNewsExposé