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Get in on the holiday spirit at the city’s annual Community Tree Lighting Ceremony which will be held on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Mentor Municipal Center.

Santa will arrive in his horse drawn carriage and will be available for photos while local choirs sing everyone's holiday favorites. Light refreshments will be available. All are invited to this free event.  

The Mentor Municipal Center is located at 8500 Civic Center Boulevard.

For the 30th year, members of the Mentor Fire Department, as well as family and friends, will brave the elements and help those in need in Lake County.

The 2024 Mentor Fire Rescue the Needy Food Drive will take place on Friday, December 6, 2024, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and Saturday, December 7, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, near the northeast entrance of the Great Lakes Mall by Barnes and Noble. Cash and non-perishable food donations will be accepted.

100% of proceeds from the Rescue the Needy Food Drive will directly benefit the Salvation Army Painesville Corps which serves Lake County. Donations stay in the community in which they are received to help serve those most in need. Since 1994, over $175,000 in cash and food donations have been raised.

The Great Lakes Mall is located at 7850 Mentor Avenue.

For the 30th year, members of the Mentor Fire Department, as well as family and friends, will brave the elements and help those in need in Lake County.

The 2024 Mentor Fire Rescue the Needy Food Drive will take place on Friday, December 6, 2024, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and Saturday, December 7, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, near the northeast entrance of the Great Lakes Mall by Barnes and Noble. Cash and non-perishable food donations will be accepted.

100% of proceeds from the Rescue the Needy Food Drive will directly benefit the Salvation Army Painesville Corps which serves Lake County. Donations stay in the community in which they are received to help serve those most in need. Since 1994, over $175,000 in cash and food donations have been raised.

The Great Lakes Mall is located at 7850 Mentor Avenue.

29TH ANNUALPROTECT & SERVE DRIVE SOBER EVENT

This holidayseason, the Lake County Crime Prevention Taskforce, the Lake County Associationof Chiefs of Police and the Lake County Safe Communities Coalition will team upwith the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway TrafficSafety Administration to host an event to remind all drivers about the dangersof drinking and driving. The 29th Annual Protect & Serve Tavern will takeplace Saturday, December 14th from noon – 3:00 p.m. at the Great Lakes Mall,located at 7850 Mentor Avenue in Mentor.

This event willhelp remind folks of Lake County – and beyond – to drive sober this holidayseason. This event is also meant to encourage people at or above the legaldrinking age, to consider a fun “mocktail” drink instead of drinking alcoholand possibly driving while intoxicated. Local police chiefs and coalitionmembers will handout non-alcoholic drinks with snacks to mall-shoppers and dueto many generous donations from local businesses, this event is free to thepublic. Local police departments will also invite shoppers to try the “FatalVision” goggle activity, which mimics alcohol impairment. This activity is usedto raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving to the public. Freerecipes featuring tasty non-alcoholic beverages created by the Lake Countypolice departments will be available, along with Caitlin McCarthy from WOIO asthe guest bartender.

With theholiday festivities and extra office parties taking place, it is important toplan a sober ride home before the events begin. Here are a few simple tips toensure that everyone has a fun evening and gets home safely:

• Plana safe way home before festivities begin
• Beforedrinking, designate a sober driver
• Ifyou are impaired, take a taxi, rideshare, or call a sober friend or familymember for a ride home
• Ifyou happen to see an impaired driver on the road, call #667 to reach lawenforcement

According tothe Ohio State Highway Patrol, there was one fatal crash during the lastholiday season (November 2023 thru January 2024) that was OVI-Related. FromFebruary 2024 until present day, there have been an additional nine fatalcrashes with three of them being OVI-Related. The Protect and Serve Tavern isheld to educate the public about driving sober not only during the holidays,but all year long. The goal is to reduce the number of fatal crashes in LakeCounty, with the hope to reduce the number to zero.

MENTOR CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
DECEMBER 17, 2024
5:00 P.M.

CALL TO ORDER: (Council President Blake)

PLEDGE TO THE FLAG:

ROLL CALL:
Mark T. Freeman, Councilperson Ward 3
Ray Kirchner, Councilperson at-Large
John A. Krueger, Councilperson Ward 4
Scott J. Marn, Councilperson at-Large
Sean P. Blake, Councilperson Ward 1
Matthew E. Donovan, Councilperson Ward 2
Janet A. Dowling, Councilperson at-Large

EXECUTIVE SESSION: For conference with counsel related to the matter of Northern District of Ohio Case No. 1:24cv02090.

ADJOURN:

NEXT COUNCIL MEETING: Regular Meeting – January 7, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.