Some LaSalle residents affected by the Carus Chemical Fire on January 11th say that Mayor Jeff Grove’s administration failed to communicate about the fire. More than ten people spoke to the city council last night about issues from the Code Red system not getting alerts out to all residents to the distrust in the US Environmental Protection Agency and not getting as much detail about the potassium permanganate. Resident Dani Piland says she wants the city to make policy changes that hold companies accountable for their actions if they pose a public and environmental health risk. She also says she wants the city to acknowledge their failure in communicating, full transparency, and publication of the city’s emergency plan.
Dani Piland speaks to the LaSalle City Council about her concerns from the Carus Chemical fire.
Resident Jamie Hicks, who spoke at a press conference on the afternoon of the fire, says the city or the US Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t been meeting his needs. He also claimed that he was taken out by force from the second press conference at the Grove Center by Police Chief Mike Smudzinski.
Grove also says he understands the resident’s frustration.
Deputy City Clerk Brent Bader says the city hired a third-party environmental consultant to test public areas like parks to make sure it’s safe to be there. He says the EPA did tests but it doesn’t hurt for the city to be extra sure that things are safe. The fire could be talked about again at a future meeting.
Here were some other comments from residents:
Residents affected by the Carus Chemical fire gather at LaSalle City Hall to comment on the city’s handling of the fire.