Monday, March 5, 2012

Mentor assists during Chardon emergency

Pets perish in a Mentor fire, safety forces lend a hand after Chardon school shooting tragedy, the city’s Old Village Area is being eyed for an adult day care — those items and more are in the latest city manager memo to City Council:

Fire Department
• On Feb. 27, Medic Squad 1112, Deputy Chief Searles and Lieutenant Gandee responded to the school shootings at Chardon High School on Chardon’s MABAS Box Alarm request. Lt. Gandee is assisting with the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing process of the Emergency Responders (Police, Fire and EMS) from this incident.
• The Fire Department responded to 5720 Meister Road for a house fire. Crews arrived to find a working fire in the home and it was declared under control at 12:16 p.m. The residents were not at home, but several pets discovered during the search were removed. Despite resuscitation efforts, two cats, a dog and a rabbit perished from the smoke. There were no other reported injuries and the damage from the fire is estimated at $100,000. The five occupants (three adults and two children) are living with various friends and relatives. The cause of the fire was ruled combustibles too close to an electric heater.
• Adam Georskey who has been out of work since Nov. 7 due to injuries sustained when Squad 1132 was involved in an accident on Center Street Bridge has returned to work in a light duty capacity assisting the fire prevention bureau with fire inspections.

Police Department
• The Mentor Police Department worked with the Mentor Public Schools administration to implement standard security protocol in light of the tragic incident in Chardon. Mentor Fire provided an EMS unit and command staff support, and Mentor Police sent the Bomb Squad Unit as a precaution. The city offered on Monday, and continues to offer, any and all support needed by the city of Chardon.
• The 2011 Police Officer of the year is Lt. Dan Molnar and the Civilian Employee of the Year is Dispatcher Linda Hulderman. The awards are voted on by coworkers. The awards will be presented at City Council’s meeting March 20.
• Between the evening of March 1 and morning of March 2, six catalytic converters were stolen from cars from various areas of the city.

Manager Comments
• The Lake County Mayors and Managers Association agreed to support both a resolution opposing a change in the Local Government Fund distribution in Lake County (initiated by the Lake County Commissioner’s last month) and state collection of municipal income taxes.
• The administration completed final interviews for the new code enforcement supervisor position this week. Background checks were being done today. City officials plan to make an offer of employment this week.
• The city received the first half distribution of its 2012 Lake County Community Residential Recycling Grant this week in the amount of $63,464. This amount will be applied against curbside recycling costs to lower residential fees.

Economic and Community Development
• Ron Traub met with a husband and wife interested in opening an adult day care facility in the Old Village area.
• Tom Thielman attended the annual meeting of the Community Improvement Corporation of Lake County as a voting member. The CIC was formed in 1964 to promote economic development through the use of Industrial Revenue Bonds. With the formation of the Lake County Port Authority the CIC duplicated services and upon the recent completion of certain CIC contractual obligations, it was moved by a unanimous Resolution that the CIC be dissolved and all assets be transferred to the Lake County Port Authority.
• Tom Thielman met with a long-time Mentor business interested in the Mentor Small Business Loan to help with an ownership transfer between family members.
• Tom Thielman and Ron Traub are working with a Willoughby business interested in purchasing a vacant building on Industrial Park Boulevard for relocation. They have recently submitted application for a Mentor Economic Development Grant and have a payroll of a little over $1 million.
• The Lake County Development Council’s next luncheon is featuring geologist Tim Reilly of John D. Oil & Gas, at noon Friday at Dino’s Restaurant, Willoughby. The topic is “Shale Fracking for Oil and Gas” Myths and Facts on the process of extracting natural gas and oil from shale fissures. For more information or to register, visit www.lakecountydevelopmentcouncil.org.

Parks and Recreation Department
• The award-winning 2ba Healthy Kid Carnival is noon to 4 p.m., Saturday at the Mentor Senior Center. Kids will be able to run through the inflatable obstacle course, make their own snack, test their hand-washing skills, join in on the Un-Cake Walk, and even get a milk moustache and pose with it in the photo booth! The event is free.
• The Mom and Child skate also is this weekend. There will be games, activities and a chance to have your pictures taken together to remember the day! Contact the Civic Ice Arena at 440-974-5730 or visit www.cityofmentor,com/play.
• Administrative Assistant and Cemetery Clerk Laura Trost attended the Eagle Scout Honor Court for Matt Vehovec on Feb. 26. Laura presented Matt with the resolution from the City Council acknowledging his accomplishment. Matt’s Eagle Scout project was to create a database of known veterans in the Mentor Municipal Cemetery. Laura gave Matt a listing of those individuals buried in the cemetery who were noted as veterans to get him started. The rest of the work was on his own with the help of his parents Mike & Cindy, his sister Nicole, and those associated with Troop 383.

Finance Department
• The City’s current Capital Improvement Program and the General Fund Annual Budget for 2012 that corresponds with the appropriation ordinance that council adopted on Dec. 6 is posted on the City’s wiki. The actual amounts for 2011 have been added to this final version. We will publish printed versions for users that request a paper copy.

Engineering and Building Department
• Building Division Activity:  Shown below is Building Division Activity comparing the month of January 2012 with the month of February 2012:
                        January 2012    February 2012
New Permits Issued             158            187
Building Permit Inspections        482            573
New Plan Review Cases                  45              61
Engr/Bldg. Permit Plan Reviews        280            165
New Contractor Registrations              486              75

Public Works Department
• The Public Works activity highlights this week were: Complete inlet basin survey in anticipation of repair program (being plotted by Eng. Dept.);  interior work at WWCC, Mentor Beach Park and Civic Center Pool; Painting senior center kitchen; Ridgeside Dr. at Trian Ct. — started concrete slab replacement; stop sign reflectivity upgrades and mapping — ongoing; 80 percent complete with annual program to test conflict monitors; marina boat ramp — started form work and rebar mat for precast slabs; walking/inspecting ditches in northeast and northwest quadrant’s of city; HVAC consultant for City Hall project has requested additional information from bidders; and durapatching on Jackson Street and Chillicothe Road.

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

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