Mentor PD solved a burglary, local government funds from the state continue to shrink and a ‘much-needed’ sanitary sewer project will be getting under way in the city — those items and more in the latest weekly city manager memo to City Council:

Manager Comments 
•    After an extensive investigation, an arrest was made regarding a June 8 burglary on Prospect Street. A male, familiar to several officers, who lived in the area and who has been responsible for thefts in the past, was developed as a suspect. Witnesses were able to identify the same male from a photo lineup. Once he was interviewed, he confessed to the crime.

•    The impact of the state cuts made to local government funds continues to compound.  Year-to-date revenues from this source through July 2012 are now $400,000 less than the same period last year.  This equals approximately a 25 percent reduction in revenue.

•    The Lake County Utilities Department has applied for an emergency pavement open cut on Brooks Boulevard to begin the Bellflower Outlet Sewer Project on or before July 30.  This project is located between St. James and Brooks Blvd. in the Bellflower Meadows Subdivision and includes construction of roughly 300 feet of 15-inch sanitary sewer.  The project has been designed to minimize disruption to the neighborhood by employing boring methods.  The project is expected to provide much needed-relief to the sanitary sewer capacity for the area which has experienced problems during wet-weather events.  Fabrizi Trucking and Paving will be the general contractor for the project.

Fire Department
•    On July 13 at 7:07 a.m., the fire department responded to Tyler Boulevard for a brush and trash fire apparently set off by fireworks.  The fire damaged two parked vehicles.  Police are investigating for possible criminal charges.

•    On July 14 at 7:06 a.m., the department responded to a 911 report of smoke in a house on Jody Lynn.  Fire crews arrived to find a haze and odor of something burning.  The investigation determined the cause to be smoldering cigarettes that had been discarded in the garage.

•    On July 16 at 1:14 p.m., paramedics responded to a dog-bite injury.  A female suffered a dog bite when she stepped between two dogs that were reportedly fighting.  The patient was treated and transported to the hospital in stable condition.  The scene was turned over to the police department for their investigation.

•    On July 16 at 6:54 p.m., the fire department was called on MABAS Box 1412 to assist Willoughby Fire Department with a working apartment fire on Euclid Avenue.  The fire was ruled accidental due to cooking.  There were no reports of injury.  Eastlake, Highland Heights, Kirtland, Wickliffe and Willoughby Hills Fire Departments were also called to assist.

•    On July 17 there was a prolonged power outage in the Headlands area that resulted from wires down.  The power was out for approximately five hours in the evening and early night-time hours with service returned just before midnight.  The fire department monitored the situation with little impact on calls for service.

•    On July 18 at 7:54 p.m., the fire department was called to the Headlands for a male that fell from a truck.  Paramedics arrived to find a male who was injured when he exited his vehicle.  Patient was transported to the hospital in stable condition.

Police Department
•    Dollar Bank located at 7891 Mentor Ave. was robbed July 17.  A male entered the bank and handed the teller a note demanding money.  The teller complied with his demands.  The male fled the bank on foot across Mentor Avenue, towards Barnes and Noble.  No vehicle was seen and the male could not be located.  We are working with the FBI to identify the suspect.

Engineering
•    2012 Road Repair Program  — The concrete contractor is nearing completion on the concrete slab replacements.  It is anticipated that all concrete work will be complete by July 23 with restoration of tree lawns occurring during the early fall to permit establishment of grass.

•    SR 2 Widening  — The SR 2 widening project continues.  Main line SR2 excavation is ongoing in preparation for the new pavement.  Widening work on the eastern side of Center Street has begun.  It is anticipated that the Center Street work will be complete in 4-6 weeks.

•    Stoneybrook Lane/Garfield Road Culvert Replacement — To date, the contractor has installed approximately 76 percent of the culvert on Stoneybrook Lane.  They expect to finish the culvert installation for Stoneybrook Lane on Monday and also perform at least one-third of the culvert installation on Garfield Road on Monday as well.  The contractor will begin some restoration work in the rear yards of the residence where rock channel protection was placed along the bank of the stream.  Once culvert installation has been completed, the contractor will be moving over to the retention pond at SR 84 and Garfield Road to repair an overflow spillway that has been washed out.

•    Aqua Ohio Waterline Project — Headlands Road Waterline Replacement Project:  The Aqua Ohio waterline project on Headlands Road is scheduled to start construction on July 23.  The contractor, Monte Construction, will begin replacing 1,175 feet of 6-inch cast iron pipe with 8-inch ductile iron pipe.  The project is scheduled to begin on Lakeview Drive and progress to the west.  Aqua Ohio anticipates that the installation of the waterline will be completed in approximately six weeks.

Parks and Recreation Department
•    The rain on Thursday canceled the “Everything You Ever Wanted To Do, But Your Mother Wouldn’t Let You” program.  The program was moved to Thursday July 26th at 6:30 p.m., so now you will have time to sign-up.  Call the Recreation Department at 440-974-5720.

•    The Senior Center had two full busses and more than 100 seniors on a Pittsburg River Cruise last Thursday.  This week, 40 seniors are enjoying a four-day Mississippi River Cruise trip and will return on Thursday.

•    The Senior Center has 30 participants registered for Delay the Disease class. This class is geared to those with Parkinson’s disease. This is more than double what we averaged last year at this time of year.  The class is a very specialized class and the participants have shown remarkable signs of their ability to cope with this disease.

•    The North Coast Junior Tour played at Black Brook on Thursday.  The Junior Tour features 100 of the best girl and boy junior golfers in Northern Ohio.  The Mentor Firefighters Outing is on Friday with about 108 players at 9:00 a.m., shotgun.

•    The Lagoons continue to be busy with stand-up paddle board and kayak classes and outings.  In the last three weeks, more than 100 people have paddled and over 110 have kayaked.

Economic and Community Development
•    Survey work is complete as it applies to an extension of the Community Reinvestment Area (CRA), which encompasses the industrially zoned area west of Hopkins Road, either side of Tyler Boulevard and Twinbrook to the General Business zoned area off Center Street.  This CRA extension, if it is approved, would make businesses that own their own property in the area eligible for property tax abatement.

•    Tom Thielman met with Patricia Banard, Business Banking Specialist for Huntington Bank, regarding Huntington’s new Small Business Micro Loan Program and other business services they provide.

•    MEACO is working on designing a new logo for its up coming 30th  Anniversary. MEACO, a nonprofit certified development company, was formed in late 1982 and received its official certification and designation from the U.S. Small Business Administration in 1983 to participate in SBA lending programs.

Finance Department
•    The City’s financial audit exit conference is scheduled for Thursday at City Hall in the second-floor conference room.  At the request of our outside auditors, any council member is invited to attend.  This is not a public meeting.

Public Works Department
•    6013 Sea Pines – storm sewer repair - complete
•    6573 Forbes Court – storm sewer repair – 20 percent complete
•    Road Maintenance – hot patch on Munson, Center and Hidden Hollow
•    Markwood Drive – replace road slab and rebuild curb inlet basin
•    Pavement Marking Inventory – ongoing
•    Dog Park – relocated mulch, and mowed tall grass around the park
•    Morton Pool – complete table repairs
•    Lagoons – added stone to the end of the boat ramp
•    7795 St. James – cleaning of Martin Ohm Ditch
•    Storm Sewer Cleaning – St. James, Sycamore and Rutland
•    Year-to-date, 101 properties improved in response to code citations

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