Big Changes For 'It's Better In Mentor' Probably Not Coming This Year

Mentor City Council and administration , It's Better In Mentor.

Many members of the Council and administration felt the festival was "tired," too much like other summer festivals and needed a new direction.

Those discussions continued during a work session Tuesday in .

Mentor City Manager Kenneth Filipiak told Council that while changes are likely coming, they would not be coming this year.

"I think, from our point of view, if you're talking about any change in the format, we're looking at 2013," Filipiak said.

The city manager added that meant the new and improved festival would .

"If we're trying to come up with something that could be a significant departure from what we're doing, we need time to get it together," Filipiak said.

Kevin Malecek, the CEO of the Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce, had recommended the city use 2012 as a transitional year .

While big changes are not expected in the immediate future, progress has been made on one suggestion -- combining It's Better In Mentor with the event, which celebrates and promotes local restaurants.

"(Mentor Parks and Recreation Director) Bob Martin is soliciting local restaurant to see who would be interested in participating in something like A Taste of Mentor (at IBIM) or the event, in general," City Councilman Ray Kirchner said.