The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
M-L road, recreation projects planned in 2020
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of articles looking at how local communities fared in 2019 and what government officials have planned for 2020.
The new year will see the continuation work toward some ongoing goals in Mentor-on-the-Lake.
Accomplishments in 2019 included installing storm sewers on Miami Drive, and the city plans more of the same in 2020.
“We continue to work our way down Andrews Road, one of our main city roads, to improve drainage throughout the city,” Mayor David Eva said.
“Our north-to-south roads have been upgraded, and we continue to work on the east-to-west streets on the west side of Andrews Road.”
All of the storm sewer projects include resurfacing after the sewers are in place, he said.
In addition, the city was approved for a grant to construct a 50-foot by 35-foot pavilion on former tennis courts at City Hall Park, 5860 Andrews Road.
City Council in the spring authorized application for Community Development Block Grant funds to design and install the pavilion. The cost is estimated at $141,500 for the contract, bidding and construction. Picnic tables and outdoor grills are planned as well.
“Our service department will be removing the existing tennis courts to save money,” Eva said.
The CDBG program, administered by the Lake County Federal Grants Office, is intended to improve a community’s housing stock and/or address urgent community developments, according to legislation passed by council.
The park is used heavily throughout the weatherfriendly months.
“This, along with the walking path, baseball fields and playground equipment at City Hall Park will give our residents another option for family activities,” Eva said.
Also in 2019, legislation was crafted to rezone several areas of the city which have been misrepresented for several years, the mayor said.
City Council’s Zoning Committee worked with Service Director Brent Moore and City Administrator Hollie Bartone to correct numerous parcels.
“Councilman Rob Johnson deserves a lot of credit for completing this project,” he said. “His diligent work on this has led to an accurate parcel mapping throughout the city.”
Looking ahead
The next drainage improvement project, pending approval, will be Southland Drive. However, there is a chance the project won’t start until 2021, Eva said.
Along with opening the new pavilion, 2020 plans include passing legislation that will offer shoreline residents ways to deal with erosion.
“Working with the other Lake County cities and the Lake County Commissioners Office, our shoreline residents should be able to have their erosion-control projects funded and assessed through their taxes for an extended period,” he said.
He indicated that the city also will continue to research grants an programs to fund equipment and training for safety forces and other city departments.