Mentone residents may have noticed that its World War II cannon is missing some parts.

This is not the result of theft or vandalism, however, but of a restoration project that the town council began looking into more than a year ago.

The council met in regular session last evening and the cannon was a topic of discussion.

The World War II Howitzer, brought to Mentone in 1945 after World War II, has fallen into disrepair over the decades. Last year, Board President Tim Croy brought up the idea of having the cannon repaired, but the council needed to look into cost.

The wheels are currently in Bremen, undergoing much-needed repairs, which will cost around $1,780. Croy also plans to look into having the rest of the cannon repainted while the wheels are off, but did not yet have a price to quote.

The council is seeking donations to help cover some of the cost of the restoration, which can be directed to town clerk-treasurer, Barb Ross.

“Just make sure she knows its for the cannon repairs,” Croy said.

Croy added that the cannon was most likely not used in combat.

Budget Hearings Set

The Mentone Council will host a public hearing at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, to review the annual budget. The council plans to pass the budget during its regular session at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8. The council noted the change in time for both of these meetings.

Town Marshal Jim Eads reported ongoing problems with the town’s Ford F150 that he has been driving.

Vehicle Woes

Eads noted that the Ford mechanic ran diagnostics on the vehicle in February but could find nothing wrong. Problems persisted, however, prompting Eads to take the vehicle back to the mechanic last week. This time, he was presented with a list of possible problems, with the most likely cause being a bad cam bearing.

The mechanic has not yet presented Eads with an estimated repair cost.

Boy Scouts Break Record

Mentone Boy Scouts visited the regular meeting of the Mentone Town Council last evening to work on a civic Merit badge. While there, members gave a brief report on their annual sale of mouse ears during the annual Mentone Egg Festival, saying that this year’s fundraiser brought in record profits for the troop.