Mentor council approves ambulance, police vehicles and facility contracts; moves shoreline project to second reading

The Mentor City Council approved a package of purchases and contract actions on May 5 while tabling final action on a major shoreline engineering agreement.

Votes and adopted measures at a glance
- Ordinance 26-034 (ambulance): Council approved a bid with Pennare Inc. to remount the city’s 2019 patient compartment onto a 2026 Braun F550 chassis; staff said remounting saves roughly $95,000 versus buying a new patient compartment. The ordinance passed after suspension of rules.

- Ordinance 26-035 (police vehicles): Council approved purchase of five 2026 Ford Interceptor utility vehicles and one F-150 police responder, citing state contract pricing and a favorable local quote. Total cost for six vehicles was reported as $275,790.

- Ordinance 26-036 (Blackbrook Golf Course parking change order): Council approved a $185,748 change order to widen drive aisles, add 11 parking spaces, underground overhead wires and install additional conduit at First Energy’s request. The change raised the contract price to complete the parking improvements.

- Ordinance 26-037 (compensation code amendment): Council amended compensation provisions for council employees (title 5, section 151.13) and approved the ordinance.

- Ordinance 26-038 (police department HVAC): Council awarded a contract to HAV LLC for HVAC work at the police department at a reported price of $25,000 and approved the emergency ordinance.

- Resolution 26-R112 (street-lighting assessment): Council adopted the resolution declaring necessity to continue street-lighting assessments at a rate reported as lower than last year because of home-value calculations; staff said First Energy is replacing bulbs and crews have cataloged out lights.

Manager’s report and other actions: the manager reported approvals for two pavement-cut requests (a new sanitary lateral at 702 Hopkins Road and water-main replacement/gate-valve work near 8820 Mson Road), updates on sidewalk and Lakeshore Boulevard resurfacing work, a pool project delay at the Civic Center, and community programming including the Tunes at the Lagoons concert series and an art exhibit.

Public comment and other items: resident Jennifer McGee urged the council to address a dilapidated fence at Carpenter Park that abuts several private homes, saying the fence has been in disrepair since at least 2014 and poses safety and property-value concerns. Council referred the matter to staff for follow-up.

What did not happen: Council moved Ordinance 26-039 (Smith Group engineering contract for Mentor Lagoons shoreline protection) to second reading after extended discussion; no construction contract was approved at this meeting.

Recorded actions: the transcript records roll-call votes for the emergency ordinances; adopted items were passed by the majority votes shown on the record.