City Council

The City of Mentor has been operating under its own charter since January, 1962, when voteres adopted the Council-Manager form of government. Under this system, a seven-member council is elected by voters on a non-partisan basis; three members serve At-Large, the remaining four are Ward representatives.

Each Council member serves a four year term. Every two years, Council chooses one of its own members to serve as Mayor/President of Council.

Council hires a professionally trained City Manager who is appointed as the City's Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for the administration of the City.

Office of the City Manager

The City Manager is the chief executive officer and head of the administrative agencies of the City of Mentor. The City Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the activities of all municipal operations.

The City Manager appoints all department heads and employees, ensures that all laws and ordinances governing the City are faithfully enforced, recommends to the City Council such measures or actions which appear necessary or desirable, recommends municipal ordinances and regulations, implements policies established by City Council, prepares and submits to Council the administrative budget and capital improvement program, and performs other activities as provided in the City Charter. The City Manager also serves as the Director of the Department of Public Safety, which includes both the Police and Fire Departments. The City Manager is appointed by City Council members, and is a professional public administrator chosen for his expertise, educational background and prior managerial experience.

Information Systems

This office oversees and coordinates the City-wide computer system network.

Personnel

This division is responsible to the City Manager in areas relating to recruitment, testing and selection; labor relations; equal employment opportunity; employee development and training; employee compensation; safety, and the processing of accident and injury reports. Job vacancies are advertised in local newspapers.

Public Information

This division is responsible for the City's overall communications effort including writing and producing newsletters, brochures, informational videos and employee training programs. The office also directs the operation of the government access channel (The Mentor Channel 12).

The Clerk of Council is appointed by Council members and is responsible for attending all meetings of the Council, keeping its records and performing all duties as prescribed by Council.

Community Development

Community Development addresses planning and zoning, economic development, property maintenance, multi-family housing inspections, and related matters throughout the City of Mentor. The Department is responsible for day-to-day development concerns, as well as longer range land-use issues. It also assists in administering the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and provides staff support to the Municipal Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals. The Department is comprised of three divisions:

Planning & Zoning

Responsible for zoning code enforcement, issuing sign and fence permits, and preparing planning reports and studies dealing with rezonings, subdivision and site plans, conditional use permits, signage, etc.

Economic Development

Responsible for establishing a diversified economic base with an emphasis on retention and expansion of existing firms, while attracting new growth-oriented industries. Provides staff to the Mentor Economic Assistance Corporation (MEACO), the City's SEA 504 loan program.

Property Maintenance

Responsibilities include code enforcement for property upkeep and administering the multi and single-family rental inspection program.

This Department engineers and administers the City's capital improvements, regulates private utility work within the public right-of-way, and oversees building construction to ensure that the house in which you live, and the buildings in which you work and shop, are safely constructed. The Department is comprised of two divisions:

Engineering

Directly involved with all utility and publicly or privately funded roadway construction in Mentor, both in reviewing and approving the construction plans submitted, and inspecting the construction work performed. It is also involved with planning future public improvement projects, such as drainage systems, architectural construction, and traffic control. The residential drainage assistance program can also be accessed here.

Building

Involved in all activities associated with residential and commercial building construction including: reviewing plans for conformance with building codes and performing on-site inspections to monitor for compliance with the approved plans. Staff members assist the public by answering building-related questions and offering advice regarding compliance with building codes.

The Finance Department's chief responsibility is the proper accounting for the City's monetary and physical property. Day-to-day budget administration, payment of bills, preparation of payroll, maintenance of fixed asset records, receipt of cash and payments, monitoring of taxes received, auditing, debt administration, City insurance, reporting the City's financial condition, and responding to taxpayer inquiries constitute the work of the Finance staff.

Fire Department

Under the direction of the Fire Chief, the administrative and command staff are responsible for organizing, directing and coordinating all fire resources to accomplish the mission of saving lives and property of the community. Mentor is one of only four Fire Departments in the State to have attained a Class 2 Rating from the Insurance Service Office (ISO). This rating translates into lower insurance premiums for home and business.

Fire and Rescue Division

Provides life-saving and property protection services to the community including: the handling of fires, rescues, medical and sudden mechanical emergencies, hazardous materials, and natural disasters. These services are provided from five fire stations, which are staffed 24 hours a day.

Fire Prevention Bureau

Responsible for the enforcement of the Fire Safety Code and the Ordinances of the City through routine inspections of businesses, industries, schools, shopping centers, etc. for the purpose of reducing the chance of fires. Also reviews plans for new construction and investigates the causes of fires.

Training and Public Education

The Training Division provides continuous in-service and specialized training for members of the Fire Department. Public Education conducts comprehensive education like: home exit drills, evacuation planning, accident prevention, medical education, CPR, etc. Also provides educational programs to the community through schools, businesses, community organizations, and civic groups, and works with the Fire Prevention Bureau on juvenile firesetter counseling programs.

The Law Department is administered under the direction of the City Law Director, who is the advisor to, and the attorney and counsel for, the City of Mentor and its officers and divisions. The Director and his staff are responsible for representing the City and for prosecutions for offenses against the ordinances of Mentor and the relevant laws of the State of Ohio. The Law Director is appointed by City Council and is an attorney-at-law, admitted to the practice of law in the State of Ohio.

Municipal Court

Judge Richard A. Swain tries all misdemeanors and ordinance violations occurring within Mentor and Mentor-on-the-Lake.

Mentor Municipal Court hears traffic citation cases, civil cases valued up to $10,000, landlord/ tenant cases, and all Small Claims complaints valued up to $2,000. All Felony cases are heard to determine probable cause and then bound over to the Lake County Common Pleas Court. The Court Probation Department oversees all persons placed on probation by the Court for any offense. This includes the Court's innovative House Arrest Program.

Parks, Recreation & Public Lands

The focus of this Department is to enhance the quality of life for the residents of Mentor through the development and maintenance of a diverse and comprehensive system of parks and recreational facilities.

The Department's areas of responsibility include: recreation for youth, teens, and adults; operation and maintenance of municipal pools, Ice Arena, Senior Citizens Center, Mentor Lagoons Marina & Park, Wildwood Cultural Center, and Community Centers; urban forestry; cemetery operations; facility rentals; park, athletic field and facility maintenance.

Police

Under the direction of the Chief of Police, the Administrative Staff is responsible for organizing, directing, and coordinating all Police resources to serve all citizens of Mentor.

Patrol Services Bureau

This Bureau is responsible for the protection of life and property, the preservation of peace, repression of crime, apprehension of criminal suspects, prevention of delinquency, traffic direction and control, accident investigation and traffic law enforcement.

Detective/Juvenile Bureau

Responsible for follow-up investigations of all major felony crimes which occur in the School District, Lake County Juvenile Court and other youth service organizations in the community.

Records Section

Provides information to support the Police Department and assist the general public.

Police/Fire Communications

Receives information and requests from the public and dispatches calls to Police and Fire personnel.

Crime Prevention

Develops a working relationship between the citizens and the Police Department.

Corrections

Provides for the safety and security of the Mentor City Jail and for the care of inmates.

Victim Assistance Program

Serves victims of crime through information, crisis intervention, referrals and court advocacy.

This department is responsible for the administration and maintenance of roadways, storm drainage, street lighting, traffic control, Public Works buildings, equipment maintenance and recycling and solid waste activities. Various Capital Improvement Projects for drainage and roadway improvements are funded in the Public Works budget and administered in concert with the Engineering Department.

Public Works also aids, assists, and constructs improvements for other City departments. Public Works' manpower, equipment, and materials are utilized to support the daily and/or emergency requests from other departments.

Roadways

Maintains and repairs 211 miles of City streets and State highways within Mentor, including patching, seal-coating, paving, curbing, sweeping, removing dead animals, roadside mowing, snow and ice control, crack sealing, and guardrail installation and repairs.

Storm Drainage

Maintains and installs various types of improvements including pipe installation, replacements, repair and ditch excavations. The most widespread program is the roadside ditching and driveway culvert reconstruction.

Equipment Maintenance Division

Responsible for the maintenance and repair of 100 large motorized vehicles and 200 other pieces of equipment utilized throughout the year by City departments.

Traffic Division

Responsible for the maintenance, operation and installation of traffic signals, signs, and pavement markings.

Street Lighting

Provided on a special assessment basis with the costs for installation and maintenance of the lights and appurtenances charged against a special account.

Recycling/Solid Waste

Coordinates all recycling and solid waste activities including education, litter prevention and household hazardous waste collections throughout the year. Curbside recycling is contracted to a private hauler.
 

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