Here’s a rundown of the latest report on city of Mentor staff in action:

• The 2012 Road Repair Program will be advertised for bids Feb. 24 and March 2 with a bid opening on March 9. This year’s program consists of resurfacing or concrete repairs on 35 streets (approximately 7 miles) with an estimated construction cost of approximately $1.5 million. This does not include the Station Street project which will be bid at a later date. The asphalt streets included in the program are portions of the following: Beaver Creek Drive, Cole Drive, Colony Court, Firwood Road, Hoyt Court, Magnolia Drive, Seminole Trail, Seneca Road, Shawnee Trail, Stockbridge Road, Tall Oaks Drive, Thunderbird Drive, Jordan Drive, Hopkins Road, Hendricks Road, Clifton Court, Curtiss Court, Edgewood Road, Forest Road, Homewood Drive, Oak Street, Sycamore Road and Willowbrook Drive. In addition, concrete repairs will be performed on the following streets: Aspenwood Court, Cannon Ridge Drive, Canterbury Lane, Catalpa Circle, Curberry Court, Foxwood Court, Gatewood Drive, Norwood Drive, Pinewood Court, Ramblewood Drive, Snowberry Court and Yellowwood Drive.
• Two significant power outages within the city last week. The first occurred on Thursday on Heisley Road (north of Hendricks) and throughout the Headlands neighborhood. The cause was a substation in Painesville that went down impacting at least four other communities in addition to our own and lasting for approximately one hour. The Public Works Department was completing backup generator connections for traffic signals when the power was restored. The second occurred Friday as a result of a pole fire on Tyler Blvd. This fire caused a power loss along Tyler (near Worthington Precision Metals westward to Rt. 306) and throughout the Division Drive area as well.  Traffic was maintained along Tyler as the fire was extinguished and electric restoration efforts ensued. In addition, high winds were expected to cause pockets of outages through Lake County.

Fire Department
• On Feb. 17 at 9:41 p.m., the fire department was called to the Burger King Restaurant at 5725 Heisley Road for a fire in the cooking ventilation hood. Crews arrived to find that there was a fire in the hood system that had been extinguished by the built-in cooking fire suppression system. Fire crews ventilated smoke and checked for fire extension. Due to the activation of the fire suppression system the kitchen had to be closed until Saturday afternoon. It was thoroughly cleaned and inspected by the health department. There were no reported injuries.
• On Feb. 23, at 6:45 a.m., fire crews were dispatched to 7957 Mentor Ave., near Fire Station #3, for a single car vs. pole MVA. Crews arrived to find the driver (only occupant of the vehicle) trapped inside the car. The patient was extricated via roof removal and transported to Hillcrest Hospital in stable condition.
• Due to safety concerns discovered during inspections, the Fire Prevention Bureau has been working with Mall management and closely monitoring remodeling work at the Great Lakes Mall in an effort to ensure that the work is performed properly and fire protection systems are not compromised during construction.

Police Department
• On Feb. 20, there was an armed robbery in Painesville involving three males with guns. The Painesville PD radioed a description of the vehicle involved in the robbery. A Mentor officer located the vehicle driving westbound on SR2. This officer, along with two other Mentor officers, attempted a traffic stop near E.156th St. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop, eventually crashing his vehicle in the lot of a church in Cleveland. Two occupants of the vehicle were arrested and another escaped on foot. The two males and the vehicle were secured by the Painesville PD. Painesville PD will follow up on all additional charges occurring after the armed robbery, along with identifying the male who escaped.
• The department completed ethics training provided by the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy. All members of the department received the training. Several members from outside agencies also participated in the training.
• A male was stopped for shoplifting at Macy’s by loss-prevention employees. A loaded handgun was found on his person during the arrest and he was charged with aggravated robbery. 

Parks and Recreation Department
• The Ice Diamond Classic was held at the Civic Ice Arena last weekend. The event featured 39 synchronized skating teams competing. The event is in its 5th year and has been steadily growing each year. We anticipate over 2,500 people coming out on Saturday to enjoy this competition.
• The month of February is the start of summer for the Recreation Department. The department has started to contact last year’s staff to see who will be back this season and reviewing applications to fill the positions that are or will be vacant this summer.
• The Marina sheet piling project by the floating docks will be completed this week. The custom cap is being installed; the cap allows us to pour the concrete walkway behind the wall. We will complete the walkway at a later date when the remainder of the bulkhead in that area, approximately 100 feet is installed.
• The “Parma” Zamboni’s wiring harness problems continue to escalate. Over the past year this problem has resulted in the machine burning up several harnesses. The zamboni may need to be replaced before next year.

Economic and Community Development
• On Feb. 21 and 22, the department embarked on a clean-up of yard waste (leaves/brush) at 8000 Garfield Road by a private contractor. The home was determined to be vacant and the owner absent. The homes owner will be billed for the services. If not paid within 30 days the costs will be placed on the property’s tax duplicate. This is the first time the Department took enforcement action all the way to abating the problem directly.
• Ron Traub met with a national re-seller of clothes and soft goods regarding a potential location in the City.
• Tom Thielman met with Christine Blake, President and CEO of Cardinal Community Credit Union, regarding her placement on the Mentor Economic Assistance Corporation’s Board of Director’s for a two-year term retroactive to Jan. 1. John Krueger’s election to City Council created a vacancy on the board.
• MEACO had its first SBA 504 Refinancing Loan approved. This loan program began in October of 2011 which allows MEACO to refinance existing debt on fixed assets. This gives businesses the opportunity to lower interest rates and extend terms on fixed asset financing. The current SBA 504 interest rate is 4.7% for a twenty year loan.

Finance Department
• The City provided employee salary information to the Auditor of State for all employees on the city payroll during 2010 and 2011. The records request was made by the State Auditor as part of a pilot data project involving the collection of salary information from all Ohio cities.

Engineering and Building Department
• Crossfield Avenue Waterline Replacement — The Crossfield Avenue waterline replacement project is scheduled to begin construction the week of Feb. 20. The contractor for the project will begin replacing 850 feet of 6-inch cast iron pipe with 8 inch ductile iron pipe. Construction will begin at the intersection of Broadmoor Road and continue westerly to Midland Road. Weather permitting, Aqua Ohio anticipates that the installation of the waterline will be completed in six weeks.

Public Works Department
• The Public Works activity highlights this week were: 50% complete with Inlet basin survey in anticipation of repair program; Interior work at WWCC; 85% complete with Senior Center kitchen work; Stop sign reflectivity upgrades and mapping — ongoing; 70% complete with annual program to test conflict monitors; Marina boat ramp — steel rails are installed; Walking/ inspecting ditches in southwest and northwest quadrant’s of city; Senior Center generator installation project to begin within the next 3 weeks; and, HVAC consultant is reviewing bids for City Hall project.

-- Betsy Scott, BScott@News-Herald.com, @ReporterBetsy