A Mentor business owner spies scrap metal thieves in the act, a new police chief is about to step into his new role, and a new tack is being taken to curb deer damage at Veterans Park. Those items and more in the city manager’s latest weekly report to City Council.

Manager Comments 
• The ESID bonds for the Great Lakes Mall project were sold, and the funds in this transaction were sent and received. This bond issue is now closed. This project represents just the third issue of “property assessed clean energy” bonds issued in Ohio.

• Lake County Community Residential Recycling Grant funds were received in the amount of $63,464.40.

• A Swearing-in ceremony for the new police chief, Kevin Knight, will be on Jan. 4 at 3 p.m. in the 3rd Floor Council Chambers of City Hall.  This event will be open to Kevin’s family and friends, City Council and any Mentor employees who would like to attend.

Fire Department
• On Dec. 14 at 4:15 a.m., paramedics responded to a one-car MVA where the car drove into a ditch at the exit ramp to Rt. 615. The patient was treated and transported to Hillcrest Hospital.

• On Dec. 14 at 4:24 p.m., paramedics responded to two assault victims in the Gabriel Brothers parking lot on Market Street. A female, the theft suspect, got into an altercation with a security guard. The security guard was treated at the scene as well as the suspect’s sister. A release form was obtained and no one was transported.

• On Dec. 15 at 1:44 a.m., the Mentor Technical Rescue Team was requested, via MABAS Box Alarm 1974, to respond to Kirtland for the rescue of a distraught male who reportedly slid down a steep ledge at Chapin Forest. Kirtland Fire was able to access the male using ropes and canceled our Technical Rescue Team prior to our arrival.

• Dec.16 at 9:57 a.m., paramedics responded to a two-car MVA in Heinen’s parking lot. One female was transported with minor injuries and the other was released.

• On Dec. 16 at 5:20 p.m., the Fire Department assisted Eastlake with a house fire at 610 East 331st St. We sent the air truck and a Chief Officer as part of MABAS Box 1711 1st Alarm.

• On Dec. 16 at 10:54 p.m., paramedics responded to a male with a possible drug overdose. The patient was administered Narcan and was then transported to Lake West.

Police Department
• Two males were arrested for stealing 80 lbs. of scrap metal from behind a business on Production Drive. The owner of the business contacted police while viewing the theft in progress via a surveillance system. Both suspects were charged with theft.

• A male was arrested for attempted voyeurism for peering into an apartment window of a child’s bedroom at Heatherstone apartments. Two officers observed the suspect peering into the window while in the parking lot of Heatherstone. The suspect saw the officers, hurried to his car and drove away. The officers stopped the suspect and noticed his pants zipper was down. A marijuana smoking pipe was recovered from his vehicle. The suspect has two previous incidents, one for public indecency and one for theft of undergarments from another apartment complex outside the city of Mentor. 

Engineering
• Black Brook Road Waterline Replacement Project – Aqua Ohio’s contractor, D. B. Bentley Inc. is installing an 8-inch replacement waterline on Blackbrook Road between SR44 and the entrance to the Lake County Engineer’s Office. The project length is 2,450 feet, of which 1,020 feet is located in the City of Mentor. The installation of the water main has been completed and they are awaiting the results of the bacteria tests before individual service taps are made to residences. The waterline work should be completed by Jan. 11. Restoration will be completed in the spring.

Parks and Recreation Department
• Mark your calendars for the Mentor Ice Arena’s 30th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, Jan. 12. There will be a pancake breakfast from 9–11 a.m. Donations for the breakfast will benefit the Mentor Special Skaters Program. Also, there will be a rededication ceremony at 10:45 a.m. We hope to have the attendance of City Council, city officials and any staff who would like to join us for the ceremony. This invitation is also open to any members of the community who may have helped with the Ice Arena Project 30 years ago or who may have participated in the programs since that time.

• The Natural Resource staff is working with Lake Metroparks to create a deer exclosure at Veteran’s Park. The exclosure is designed to keep deer out of an area to demonstrate how the forest will regenerate itself if it is not over browsed.

• A beaver has moved into Garfield Park pond recently. The beaver’s handy work can be observed along the south shore of the pond by the boardwalk area. We have been in contact with a trapper to remove the beaver from the pond.

Economic and Community Development
• Tom Thielman, Ken Filipiak and Ron Traub attended the MEACO quarterly Board meeting. It was reported that approximately $86,000 is available to loan in the CDBG loan fund. MEACO has loaned out over $470,000 to 18 companies since the program’s inception; eight loans have been paid in full, one discharged by bankruptcy and the remaining 11 are active loans. MEACO entered into eight SBA 504 loans in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 with a total value of over $2 million. To date, three “deals” are in progress.

Public Works Department
• Prepared & calibrated brine truck
• Cold patching - Citywide
• Completed signal pole foundations on Plaza Blvd.
• Removing stumps from Black Brook Golf Course driving range
• Storm sewer cleaning - North of Bellflower - west of SR 615
• Storm sewer inspections - Tortugas, Twinbrook, Tyler
• Completed drainage assistance project (DAP) on Carolyn
• Began DAP on Tortugas
• Ongoing - upgrade of Garfield ballroom

BScott@News-Herald.com, @ReporterBetsy