Mentor police gave out more than 100 seat-belt/child safety seat citations, city day camps are proving a big revenue generator this year, and potential improvements are coming to the Headlands library branch. Those items and more in the latest weekly city manager memo to City Council:

Manager Comments 
• Ron Traub, Tony Zampedro and I met with Lynn Hawkins, executive director of the Mentor Public Library system and Board President Amy Frank-Hensley. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Headlands Branch, express our interest in continued reinvestment there, and discuss elements of their new strategic plan. The meeting went well and they agreed to host a focus group from the Headlands area to better understand the interests of those in the immediate area who rely the most on the branch. Ms. Hawkins followed up our meeting with an email thanking the city for our consideration of the Reading Garden project proposed for partial funding through our 2012 CDBG program.
• On June 1, Gov. Kasich signed legislation making it illegal to text while driving in Ohio. Our Police Department is reviewing the new law, which takes effect 90 days from the signing, and will be prepared for enforcement.
• Income tax collections for the month of May were up $460,000 when compared to May of last year. The current total year collections thru May as compared to last year are up 14.6%.
• Code Enforcement Officers were out this week in earnest contacting business owners with outside merchandise displays. Letters reminding them of the prohibition were sent as a follow up.

Police Department
• The “Click It or Ticket — What’s Holding You Back” campaign ended on June 3. During this two-week period, the police department issued 104 seat-belt/child safety seat citations. We will continue to strictly enforce these types of violations.
• An officer was injured over the weekend while arresting a male for possession of cocaine. The officer conducted a traffic stop in the lot of Comfort Inn. There were seven (7) people in the car. The driver exited the car and ran across Reynolds Rd. towards Palisades Bowling. The officer was able to tackle the suspect and arrest him. The male had cocaine in his possession. Another male in the car also had cocaine in his pants pocket. Both males were arrested and charged. The officer injured his hand and missed two days of work.
• A robbery occurred on June 4, at the rear of Check and Go, 9354 Mentor Ave. An employee drove to the rear of the building to dispose of the trash in the dumpster when she was confronted by two males. The males took her purse and fled eastbound on Mentor Ave. The purse contained her personal items along with the deposit for the business. No weapons were seen during the robbery. The incident is being investigated by the detective bureau. 

Parks and Recreation Department
• This week is the start of day camps. This year our registration is on a record pace with 1,618 children registered for camps so far. We are offering 148 camps this year and to date our revenue is $195,909.
• All three pools and the Spraygrounds open June 9.The Lake County Health District is making its final inspection of the pools this week and all looks good. Pool Pass sales have been going well and now that school is drawing to an end people are thinking about signing their kids up fro one of the swimming classes.
• This year again we experienced many problems with the Garfield Pool pump and filter system. The freshening up of the building is a welcome sight to the people coming to the Garfield Pool.
• Lifeguard training was held on Monday night and the in-water training and testing will be held on Sunday.
• We are receiving very positive feedback from the gardeners at the Community Garden. We are all pleased with the response and the reception the garden has gotten this year.
• Mark your calendars now for the Summer Concert Series starting June 19 at 7 p.m. at the Civic Amphitheater. Our first concert features the sounds of the 50’s featuring the “Doo Wop Kings.”
• The Mentor Senior Center was host this week to the North Coast Senior Games Cornhole Tournament. The event took place all day and the participants had many great things to say about our facility and our staff. Winners at this level move on to the state tournament which will be held in Cleveland next month and the winners there are qualified for the National Senior Games which will be held in Cleveland during the summer of 2013.
• This week the Recreation Department was informed by the Marines that we would need to change the date of our Take Pride In America event for 2013. The event is moving to June 19. We will be alerting the public to the date change starting with the fall recreation brochure.

Fire Department
• On May 31 at 5:11 p.m., Station 2 responded to 4860 Orchard for a report of a garbage can on fire. Investigation revealed someone placed a 2 liter plastic pop bottle mixed with unknown chemicals into a full garbage can. Witnesses stated they heard the can explode prior to crew arrival. Fire extinguished, and there were no injuries.
• On June 2 at 4:12 p.m., Station 1 responded to a report of a mulch fire at the Kmart Super Store at 9200 Mentor Ave. Fire crews observed a small mulch area had charring. The fire was extinguished by a Kmart employee. There was no extension to the building.
• On June 6 at 11:56 a.m., the fire department responded to 9321 Pineneedle for a gas leak inside the building. Crews arrived at the business, Pyromatics Incorporated, to find a natural gas leak inside the manufacturing area. The leak occurred after a machine operator knocked off a 3/4” down leg off the natural gas line. Fire crews shut down the gas main to the building and Dominion East Ohio was called. There were no reports of injuries.
• On June 6 at 2:38 p.m., the fire department was called to the parking lot of City Hall for a grass fire. The fire was out when crews arrived.
• On June 5, the fire department assisted with Mentor Channel 12’s video production of the “Hands Only CPR” training video, when a reenactment scene of a cardiac arrest was staged and filmed inside the Great Lakes Mall.

Economic and Community Development
• Ron Traub joined Councilman Kirchner and Councilperson Dowling at the “ribbon cutting” for Salon Prizzo at Great Lakes Mall.
• Ron Traub attended a “grand opening” of Habibe Clothing Co., a woman’s clothing store at Heisley Pointe.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved MEACO’s 504 loan for Bess Industries, LTD. The total project cost is $377,000.
• Tom Thielman met with Tim Dixon, Head of SBA Lending for Citizens Bank, regarding SBA programs and Citizens Bank’s loan activity in Mentor.
• Tom Thielman met with representatives of the Cleveland Plumbing Supply Company and Dollar Bank regarding the purchase of 7272 Mentor Ave. (former Clark Dodge site) and use of the MEACO SBA 504 loan program.
• Tom Thielman met with the owners/operators of the proposed Maracas Restaurant regarding the Mentor Small Business Loan program.

Engineering and Building Department
• 2012 Sidewalk Program: Engineering has started inspecting sidewalks and has currently completed Burridge Ave., Maple St., Hart St., Prospect St., Argee Dr., Old Village Ln., Nowlen St., and part of Mentor Ave. Sidewalk inspections should be complete by the end of June.
• Corduroy Road Streetscape Improvements: TC Construction has completed the Streetscape Improvements along Corduroy Road. Tree lawn areas have been seeded and mulched.
• Bellflower Road Repair and Resurfacing Project: Work on the Bellflower Road Repair and Resurfacing Project is scheduled to begin this week and be completed by Aug. 25. The project is being partially funded by a $299,900 Grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission. Chagrin Valley Paving is the contractor for the project. During the construction, eastbound traffic will be closed from Georgetown Drive to Center Street and westbound traffic will be maintained. A detour will be established to direct eastbound traffic.
• Aqua Ohio Projects: Hopkins Road Waterline Project: The City of Mentor has issued a right-of-way permit to Aqua Ohio for the installation of 2550 feet of 12-inch replacement waterline. The new waterline will be located on the west side of Hopkins Road between Highland Court and Chillicothe Road. Davis Diggers will be the contractor installing the waterline. Work on this project is expected to begin this week and should take approximately 6-7 weeks to complete. Work hours will be restricted to between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday thru Friday. During construction, traffic will be maintained.

Public Works Department
The Public Works activity highlights this week were: Crack sealed Mentor Ave. from Heisley to Hopkins Road; St. Peters Way, repairs on three curb inlet basins are complete; 5486 Wilson, storm sewer repair; Hot patch Rt. 306 from Rt. 84 to I-90; 6520 Hopkins Road, storm sewer repair; Park Maintenance, mowing and lining of baseball and soccer fields; Traffic cabinet maintenance is 75% complete; and North side of Bellflower Road — storm sewer cleaning and inspections ongoing.

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