With Alderman Tanner Brown serving as Mayor Pro Tem in the absence of Mayor Mike Nichols, the Casey City Council’s first meeting of September was dominated by positive reflections on the recent Popcorn Festival. Leaders hailed the event as a major community and economic success, praising the festival committee, volunteers, and city staff for their extensive work. For a detailed report, see the full story on the festival recap.

The council also heard an update on infrastructure work from Utility Superintendent Shelby Biggs, who reported that the city’s sidewalk replacement program is continuing on Main Street but is nearing its budget limit for the year. More details on the sidewalk and tree removal plans are available in a separate article. Other business included the routine approval of city finances and the scheduling of the fall city-wide cleanup.

Council Approves Over $982,000 in August Bills
The Casey City Council unanimously approved the payment of bills for August 2025, totaling $982,868.53. The motion passed without discussion. The extensive list of payments included payroll, operational expenses for all city departments, and a notable $25,000 donation from the motel tax fund to the Casey Popcorn Festival to support the annual community event.

Fall City-Wide Cleanup Dates Announced
Casey residents can prepare for fall cleaning, as the City Council approved dates for the next city-wide cleanup. Utility Superintendent Shelby Biggs announced the event will run from Saturday, October 11, through Saturday, October 18, 2025. This will be the second such event of the year, providing residents an opportunity to dispose of large or bulky items not typically collected with regular trash.

Several Officials Absent from Meeting
The council conducted its business with several key figures absent. Mayor Mike Nichols, Alderman Jeremiah Hanley, and Alderman Steve Jenkins were not present. Alderman Tanner Brown was appointed Mayor Pro Tem to preside over the meeting. Additionally, Attorney Lauren Ozenkowski attended in place of City Attorney Tracy Willenborg. On Willenborg’s behalf, Ozenkowski expressed gratitude for the community’s thoughts and prayers during a recent family loss.

August Financial Report Accepted
The council formally accepted the Treasurer’s Collection Deposit Report for August 2025. City Treasurer Gail Lorton reported that total collections for the month were $608,037.14. The report, which details revenues from gas, electric, water, sewer, and other city services, was approved unanimously by the council as a routine item of business.

Council Enters Executive Session for Litigation
At the request of acting attorney Lauren Ozenkowski, the Casey City Council briefly recessed into a closed executive session to discuss litigation, as permitted by the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Following the private discussion, the council returned to open session and adjourned the meeting without taking any public action on the matter.