City lawyer, leader leaving

Position may be revamped in wake of Hennig’s departure

Another longtime Mentor official is moving on. Law Director Richard A. Hennig this week announced his intentions in an email to City Council.

“As the time has drawn near for closing my private practice, I have come to realize that I cannot do things halfway,” he said. “I intend to retire as Law Director for the city at the end of this month if council’s schedule permits. If council needs me to stay a bit longer while it sorts out what to do regarding the future of the department and a replacement for me, I can adjust the timing.

“Being the Law Director for the city of Mentor has been a dream job and I thank council for permitting me to serve.”

Hennig, 62, spent 16 years in the city’s law department — the last 15 as law director — and 12 years as a councilman at large. His private practice, Hennig Szeman Klammer, is based in Painesville.

He said he wants to spend more time with his wife, who is a breast cancer survivor.

“We are going to go find some roses to smell,” he said.

“I have vowed to go back to being a golf course

greenskeeper, because I always loved taking care of golf courses and the machines that groom them, but that might just be an idle dream,” he added.

During his time with the city, he said he is most proud of assisting with various property purchases, including Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve & Marina, Blackbrook Golf Course and Springbrook Gardens.

“Anytime you can put your legal skills toward building something instead of putting Humpty Dumpty back together again is a good day,” he said.

Councilman at large Ray Kirchner, who has served the city for 30 years, spoke highly of Hennig.

“Richard has worked tirelessly on behalf of the residents of Mentor both as councilman and law director,” he said. “His (departure) will be leaving huge shoes to fill.”

There is no set procedure for replacing the law director, Council President John Krueger said.

The city charter requires an attorney who resides in Lake County.

“We are looking at our options as to keeping the position as it currently is, permanent part time with a Lake County attorney or (bringing) the position inhouse as a full-time position,” he said. “We will be working on a system to accomplish this goal but have no definitive answers at this time as we were just made aware of this situation (Sept. 4).”

Hennig is the second high-profile Mentor official to retire in recent months. Ronald M. Traub retired in July as economic & community development director after 29 years with the city.

“I like to imagine the city is in a Camelot period right now,” Hennig said. “The ‘new’ city manager, Ken Filipiak, is still on his honeymoon with council, and council is working together in a way that has not been even close to equaled in my almost 30 years here. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of it. It is hard to walk away, but it is time.”

Hennig