Council Pursues Site Readiness Grant; Discusses Outsourcing Code Enforcement

City of Casey Meeting | January 19, 2026

Article Summary: The Casey City Council approved a resolution to support a Regional Site Readiness Grant application and began discussions on potentially outsourcing code enforcement services. Economic Development Director Tom Daughhetee presented plans to partner with a third-party vendor for future code compliance.

Economic Development Key Points:

• Grant Application: The council approved Resolution #011926B, supporting a Regional Site Readiness Grant application due next week.

• Code Enforcement: The city is drafting a professional services agreement with Equity Enterprise LLC to handle code enforcement.

• Land Bank Connection: The potential enforcement partner is associated with the Land Bank and currently performs work in the Peotone area.

• Legal Requirements: Attorney Tracy Willenborg noted that adopting new building codes requires a public hearing and notification to the Capital Development Board.

The Casey City Council on Monday, January 19, 2026, took steps to bolster economic development by approving a grant application resolution and discussing new methods for property code enforcement.

Economic Development Director Tom Daughhetee presented Resolution #011926B, which supports a Regional Site Readiness Grant application. The application is being submitted in partnership with the “Help Run” organization. The council approved the resolution unanimously.

Daughhetee also introduced a proposal to professionalize the city’s code enforcement through the Land Bank. He informed the council that he plans to present a professional services agreement at the next meeting with Equity Enterprise LLC, a firm associated with Casey Home Solutions out of Peotone.

“They have been doing work for the land bank for a few years now,” Daughhetee said.

City Attorney Tracy Willenborg advised the council that while outsourcing enforcement is possible, any formal adoption or modification of building codes requires strict legal adherence.

“Although the city hasn’t adopted formal building codes, they are subject to… statewide building codes,” Willenborg explained. She noted that if the city wishes to modify those codes to fit local needs, they must notify the Capital Development Board and hold a public hearing at least 30 days prior to implementation.

Daughhetee and Willenborg agreed to review the draft agreement and code specifications before the next council meeting.