CASSOPOLIS, Mich. (WNDU) – The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs has authorized a performance evaluation of the Village of Cassopolis.

The state’s Construction Code Enforcement Committee authorized the evaluation to begin at a meeting last week.

It comes five months after Melissa McKay filed a complaint about her certificate of occupancy. But she says her problems started years before that.

“I mean, these are serious issues. We have people that have some very, very, very large concerns about how this village is being ran, and how code enforcement is being enforced,” McKay said.

As we told you in our previous WNDU 16 News Now I-Team report, “An American Nightmare,” Melissa McKay filed a complaint with LARA after she said the village issued her a certificate of occupancy for her new home in October 2022 when her wastewater system was not working. McKay said she had to use composting toilets and could not use the sink or dishwasher.

What the evaluation includes

A LARA spokesperson said the performance evaluation may include observing inspections alongside local officials and reviewing records such as permits, inspection reports, correction notices, stop-work orders and certificates of occupancy — the center of McKay’s complaint.

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Village responds

The village manager declined to speak with the I-Team on camera but shared a statement saying the village welcomes the performance evaluation from the state.

McKay said she is not the only one in the village who has voiced concerns about inspection practices and enforcement.

“I will be circulating a recall petition in the Village of Cassopolis. We will get the right people in here leading us, since we can’t get the right people here now, since we don’t have them now,” McKay said.

There is no timeline for how long the state’s performance evaluation will take.

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