Supporters of Mentor PD’s K-9 program are invited to a meet-and-greet with the dogs and their handlers, deer hunting permit packets are now available and a busy week for the fire dept. Those items and more in the latest weekly city manager memo to City Council.

• The police department will host a social gathering for supporters of our K-9 program on Sept. 25, from 6-7:30 p.m. Participants will be able to meet K-9 Bo and K-9 Titan, talk to the handlers and have pictures taken.

• Deer packets are ready and available for residents and hunters to pick up in the Parks and Recreation office, or go online to cityofmentor.com/live/deer & other nuisance animals and select Mentor Deer Hunting Permit Packet. Once filled out, return the forms to the Natural Resource Specialists in the Parks & Recreation Department.

Fire Department
• On Sept. 6 at 4:29 p.m., a teenager was transported after her car collided with a deer. The driver was wearing a seatbelt.

• On Sept. 7 at 11:43 a.m., a call came in from Perry Fire for an elevated rescue at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant. Workers were stranded in a crane bucket and Mentor’s aerial was the nearest one tall enough to reach the workers.

• On Sept. 7 at 1:16 p.m., Mentor Fire was dispatched to Classic Toyota for a rubbish fire where some flammable liquid caused a flash fire, which set off the sprinkler system. There was no damage to the facility.

• On Sept. 7 at 2:31 p.m., Mentor Fire was dispatched to a residence for a television that caught fire, which the homeowner extinguished.

• On Sept. 7 at 3:12 p.m., paramedics were called to a possible overdose. The16-year-old male was treated and transported in stable condition.

• On Sept. 8 at 2:56 p.m., paramedics transported a high school football player with a possible concussion after a helmet to helmet collision on the field.

• On Sept. 8 at 4:09 p.m., paramedics were called for a possible electrocution. The 25-year-old male was transported for evaluation.

• On Sept. 2 at 6:42 p.m., paramedics were called for a woman bicyclist who was hit by a van on Munson Road. The patient was transported and life-flighted.

Police Department
• A male was arrested on Sept. 9 for aggravated robbery at JC Penney. The male was shoplifting and confronted by the store loss prevention officer. The suspect began fighting with the LPO. At one point during the fight, the suspect pulled a knife from his pocket, but it was hit out of his hand by the LPO. The suspect escaped from the LPO, but was stopped outside by MPD after getting into a vehicle with two other people. All suspects involved were arrested for either their involvement in the aggravated robbery or separate drug charges. All three suspects are heroin addicts and had heroin, syringes and other drug paraphernalia in their possession.

• There was an injury accident involving a vehicle and bicycle on Sept. 12. The bicycle was traveling eastbound on Lakeshore Blvd. in the marked bike lane, approaching Emery Circle. The vehicle was traveling westbound on Lakeshore and turned left onto Emery Circle in front of the bicycle. The vehicle failed to yield to the bicycle. The bicyclist struck the side of the vehicle and suffered head and torso injuries.

Parks and Recreation Department
• The Ice Arena Lighting project is almost complete and just in time for the hockey and figure skating season to begin. They will then determine what lights will need to be turned on for the different events (hockey, figure skating and open skates).

• The After-School Bus Program at the Ice Arena is off to a good start with 190 children registered from area elementary schools.

• The Lake Health Hospital “Kids Shape Up” program is a family/community-oriented event that will be moving from Willoughby to the Mentor Community Center in 2013 for one night a week. The program is geared toward obese children and teaching them and their families the benefits of healthy eating habits and exercise. This 9-week program will be held year-round. This is a Lake Health Hospital program that is grant funded and currently has 17 Lake County families involved. Mentor will become the hub for the Lake County program and the hospital will handle registration.

Economic and Community Development
• Ron Traub and Tom Thielman met with a representative of JobsOhio and representatives of a business which has outgrown their current facility and has an interest in moving operations to a Mentor location or to other out of State opportunities. Various State of Ohio and local incentive programs were discussed.

• Thielman met with Patricia Hoyt, President/CEO and Jamie Keyser, Executive Director of the Alliance for Working Together Foundation (AWT). AWT is a not for profit organization which promotes careers in manufacturing. The organizations signature programs are the annual high school “Battle Bots” competition and the creation of a new curriculum at Lakeland Community College in Manufacturing Studies.

Finance
• The annual budgeting process is underway with city departments submitting items to be considered in the 2013 Operating Budget.

• Several Finance Department staff members participated in training provided by the city’s financial software vendor. One of the main topics was purchasing and accounts payable with the goal of implementing a system of electronic distribution of purchase orders.

Public Works Department
• Inlet basin rebuilds (6) on Kathleen
• Ditch stabilization - 9160 Lakeshore
• Storm sewer cleaning - Palmerston, Cranberry, Weatherby
• Installed inlet in r-o-w - Wheeler
• Installed dry well - French
• Raised curb inlet - Mentor and Old Johnnycake
• Crack sealing - SR 84
• Winterizing pools and spray parks
• Replacing sinks at Walsh Park restroom
• Morton pool piping and concrete repairs

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