Marengo Hires a Full-Time Code Enforcement Officer

Marengo has hired a full-time code enforcement officer. HR/Finance Director Megan Lopez reported the hire at the March 9 city council meeting. The officer issued five property maintenance citations on the first day. ¹

The position was created after months of resident complaints about the Deerpass Greens subdivision, where neighbors reported excessive trash, trailers, and multiple vehicles stored in yards. Residents raised the issue at several consecutive council meetings, and the complaints came up again during public comment on March 9. ¹

The FY26/27 budget shows the impact. The building department's total budget rises from $246,015 to $315,705, an increase of about $69,700, or 28 percent. The department's full-time salary line more than doubles, from $48,780 to $114,237, while a part-time salary line that carried $11,139 last year is eliminated. ²

The department also reduced its outside building inspection consultant budget from $159,322 to $125,500. The budget does not indicate whether that reduction is related to the new hire. Building inspections and code enforcement are separate functions. ²

Code enforcement citations generate revenue through municipal ordinance fines, which the city budgets at $1,000 for FY26/27. ²

The General Fund surplus this fiscal year is $3,196. Marengo's water and sewer infrastructure backlog totals $25 million, and the police pension fund is 47 percent funded. ³

The officer reports through the building department. The council did not set a formal review period for the position at the March 9 meeting.