Mentor officials helped celebrate the grand opening of plasma center creating 50 jobs, the city’s unemployment rate dips again, and is a hike in Parks and Recreation fees on the horizon? Those items and more in the latest weekly city manager memo to City Council:

Manager Comments 
• The unemployment rate for the City of Mentor decreased 0.2 percent to 5.6 percent for the month of July 2012 from its previous rate of 5.8 percent for June 2012 (Mentor’s rate was 6.4 percent in July 2011). In Lake County, the unemployment rate also decreased, to 6.2 percent for July 2012 from 6.5 percent in June. The City of Mentor continues to have the lowest unemployment rate for any community in Ohio with a population over 50,000. Ohio’s unemployment rate remained stable for the month of July 2012 at 7.4 percent.

Fire Department
• On Aug. 18 at 10:40 a.m., paramedics responded for a 26-year-old male who apparently overdosed on heroin. The patient was treated and transported to the hospital in stable condition.

• On Aug. 17 at 10:50 a.m., paramedics were called to Mentor Avenue for a 15-year-old male cyclist who lost control of his bicycle. The male suffered minor injuries and was transported to the hospital.

Police Department
• Another suspect has been identified after posting a surveillance photo on the department’s Facebook page. Within three hours, detectives received a tip on the identity of the suspect and even what type of car he drives. He was identified as a 19-year-old male from Eastlake. The clarity of this photo assisted with the identification.

• On Aug. 21, the Eastlake Police Department requested assistance attempting to locate and arrest a suspect in a felonious assault in their city. The suspect shot another male during an alleged robbery at the Eastlake Walmart. Information was received that the suspect was staying at a condominium on Kirkwood Drive (Bellflower Terrace). Due to the violence of the crime, the Mentor SWAT team was activated. After making entry to the condominium the suspect was not located. Eastlake PD is continuing their investigation to locate the suspect.

Parks and Recreation Department
• The entire Parks and Recreation Divisions have started to work on the 2013 budget and are reviewing all fees in all divisions for the upcoming year.
 
• Black Brook Golf Course was the site of the JV Golf Tournament last week featuring 15 high school teams. The tournament overall winner was Orange High School. Mentor golfers were in the hunt individually for scoring honors.
 
• Mentor Lagoons Manager Dave George continues the electrical inspection of each dock’s electrical system. The inspection of B Dock is nearing completion. The process will speed up as we start on C and D docks because these are the docks with the newest electrical supply.

• The Lagoons maintenance staff has been pushing back invasive species in the vicinity of the trail head for the preserve. This maintenance function will make the trail feel open and will not be encroaching on the trail surface.

• This past week, the first Special Needs Soccer Camp was held at Krueger Park under the direction of Mindy Bakos. The camp was very successful and we have received compliments from parents of the participants about how great the program was and will we be offering more programs for children with special needs. We will be evaluating what we can do to offer programs to this population.

Economic and Community Development
• Ron Traub, Ken Filipiak and councilmembers Dowling and Krueger attended the BioLife Plasma Services grand opening at 5656 Emerald Court. The 15,000 sq. ft. plasma collection center is expected to create over 50 new jobs and has 70 beds for plasma donors.  Plasma is used to produce various medical therapies for patients with hemophilia, pulmonary deficiencies and for surgical and emergency room patients.

• The Mentor Economic Assistance Corporation received approval from the U.S. Small Business Administration on an SBA 504 loan for Hartman Personnel Services, which is purchasing the building they currently lease at 8789 Tyler Blvd. The total project cost is estimated at $360,000. The current SBA interest rate on a 20-year loan is 4.5 percent fixed.

Finance
• State Rep. Peter Beck is holding a Municipal Income Tax Interested Party meeting on Sept. 5 at the Cleveland State University Student Center. The hearings are a continuation of discussions relative to the State’s efforts to develop and implement local income tax uniformity. David Malinowski and Bonnie Lingafelter are registered and will attend the meeting.

• The Lake County Budget Commission held a tax rate hearing this week. The county revaluations of property were recently provided to the Ohio Department of Taxation. We are anticipating reductions in property valuations similar to the previous revaluations three years ago.

Public Works Department
•    Distributed recycling containers throughout City parks
•    Installed signage at Willowbrook easement access to lake
•    Began replacing Garfield Park pavilion roof
•    Hot patching roads throughout the City
•    Inlet basin rebuilds - Bunker Cove and Ellington
•    Slab-jacking - Deepwood Blvd.
•    Crack-sealing - SR 84
•    Preparing design specifications to upgrade Plaza/Dillards Driveway intersection
•    Storm sewer repairs - Lorrich and Hidden Hollow
•    Storm sewer cleaning - Sutherland, Palmerston and Glencairn
•    Raised manhole castings on St. James, Durham and Spring Blossom
•    Designing layouts and compiling cost estimates for drainage assistance projects
•    Drainage assistance project on Cumberland - 65 percent complete
•    Two trees removed from Ice Arena entrance way

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