Casey Cracks Down on Blighted Properties, Considers Parental Responsibility Ordinance

The City of Casey is intensifying its efforts to combat blight, taking formal action against a dilapidated property on East Madison Avenue and considering new measures to hold parents accountable for vandalism caused by minors.

At its meeting Monday, the City Council approved a resolution declaring the property at 607 E. Madison Ave. “dangerous and unsafe.” The site contains two residential structures that City Attorney Tracy Willenborg said have both suffered fires and have significantly deteriorated. The resolution empowers the city to seek a court order for demolition if the owner fails to remediate the property.

This is part of a broader crackdown on blight. Chief of Police Adam Henderson reported that an initial list of 52 nuisance properties has been whittled down to just a handful through consistent enforcement.

“That list is being whittled down greatly, and town’s starting to look nicer, sharper because of it,” said Mayor Mike Nichols.

The city is also exploring new legal tools. Following discussion about recent vandalism at park bathrooms, Willenborg suggested the city could pass an ordinance to impose financial obligations and community service requirements on the parents of minors who damage public property. Mayor Nichols directed her to research what other communities are doing and draft a potential ordinance.

The council also learned of a procedural shift in another case involving a property owned by Robert Lee Goodwin and Debbie Huffman. The city had filed an abandoned property action, but the owners recently paid the back taxes. Willenborg said the city will now dismiss that case and pursue the property under the “dangerous and unsafe” statute to achieve the same result of remediation.