Former Mentor engineer, city manager and council candidate John Konrad continues to keep an eye on city business. Today he sent a scathing e-mail to the council clerk to pass along to City Council.

It had to do with his displeasure about an idea from community development staff to assist small-business owners with some start-up renovation costs, in an effort to boost struggling neighborhood retail centers.

"Does council really think $10,000 to small businesses is appropriate in these difficult financial times for many of their residents? It would be a slap in the face of all voters who supported the City’s 2 percent income tax renewal. Please reconsider using this 'new tool' only when the City has tens of thousands of dollars to spare in its budget for basic services.

"Does calling the used resources fines and forfeitures really mean it doesn’t cost the City dollars that could be used more appropriately elsewhere? Please don’t insult the intelligence of Mentor’s voters."

For the record, the proposal from city staff is in its infancy and still needs buy-in from the city manager before it makes it to council for consideration.

--Betsy Scott, BScott@News-Herald.com