Bellevue's search for personnel this spring will extend far beyond the normal complement of temporary laborers and pool staff. The resignations of both the director of administrative services and the borough's code enforcement officer were announced at the March 23 council meeting.

DAS Connie Flasher has held that job for just over two years. She said that she had accepted a position with a municipality in eastern Pennsylvania that will put her closer to her children and grandchildren.

Her last day in Bellevue will be April 5, although she offered to help out afterwards if council wanted.

In announcing her resignation, Flasher said that she was proud of what she had accomplished during the past two years, including improving staff morale and attitude, upgrading systems and procedures, and the $1 million renovation of the borough building.

"We now have gone from a broken system to one that is fixed," Flasher said.

Council president Kathy Coder praised Flasher for the "level of professionalism" she had brought to the administrative offices, and noted, "This building will be your legacy."
Also leaving the borough's employ is code enforcement officer Mike Lutz. Lutz has been off work for most of the past month following surgery for a shoulder injury. His last day at work will be April 2.

Bellevue Council will hold a special finance committee meeting on Tuesday, March 30, to discuss filling the DAS position. Coder said that she wanted to form a search committee to interview DAS applicants. That committee, she said, would include borough employees and possibly residents. Council members David Gillingham Jr. and Linda Woshner objected to the responsibility being taken away from the traditional group in charge of hiring administrative personnel, council's finance committee.

Coder said that the DAS position has become a "revolving door," something she would like to see stop. She said that a representative of the Local Government Academy had told her that Bellevue Council needed to figure out why that was the case.