Although it appeared that few people on Bellevue Council actually wanted to pay a new part-time office clerk $15 per hour, a resolution doing just that was approved by officials at Tuesday’s work session.

Miscues, misinformation, lack of preparation, bad acoustics and outright distrust factored into a series of events that ended with the hiring of a temporary office clerk at the same salary paid to the former assistant director of administrative services.

DAS Doug Sample defended the higher hourly pay rate, arguing that job would entail more than just clerical work.

Bellevue Council will have to decide between PAMS and Jordan Tax Services for collection of borough fees and delinquent taxes, but first may have to decide exactly what fees the companies may collect.

Although the collection fees charged by PAMS are lower, according to council members, the finance committee recommended hiring Jordan to collect sewage, per capita and possibly garbage fees.

Council members Jane Braunlich and Linda Woshner both objected to hiring Jordan because of the higher collection and delinquency fees that would be charged to borough taxpayers.

There was no comment from Bellevue residents during a public hearing held Tuesday evening on a proposal to add several positions to the borough’s work force.

The hearing was held at 7 p.m. rather than 6:30 p.m. as advertised because only one member of council -- David Gillingham Jr. -- was actually present at 6:30 p.m. Other council members said they were not aware the hearing had been set for 6:30 p.m.

Disagreements over procedure broke the tenuous calm that has marked recent Bellevue Council meetings, ending with council members walking out of Tuesday’s work session as others were chastised for their behavior.

A number of motions -- including a couple to adopt ordinances on their second readings -- were approved in 5-4 votes as issue of voting at work sessions once again became the subject of debate.

Public concern about extending street sweeping parking restrictions year 'round in Bellevue has led to a proposal to amend the borough's ordinance to make sure the current schedule is maintained.

Bellevue Council's public safety committee will take another shot at drafting an ordinance regulating recreational fires after officials and residents agreed there was no "burn" in the burn ordinance proposed.

The committee reviewed the issue after receiving complaints from residents about outdoor fires that had become a nuisance due to the quality and quantity of smoke being produced.

It will cost about $4,000 more to complete a remodeling project in Bellevue’s police station.

Council orginally authorized the expenditure of $10,000 to rehab the station, but safety committee chairman David Gillingham Jr. told council members at their May 25 meeting that some unexpected concrete work will require additional money.

His motion to spend $4,000 from bond funds hit a snag when no one actually knew whether that much remained uncommitted from the bond. Council approved the expenditure contingent upon the funds being available.

Bellevue Council may choose not to make any changes to its transient vendor ordinance, which means vendors at some events could be paying a fee this year.

Some vendors objected to paying a $50 fee to sell items at Bellevue events, but tax-paying business owners also objected to the vendors getting a "free ride."

Council member David Gillingham Jr. said at the council work session on Tuesday that he had researched what other municipalities charge transient vendors. The fees elsewhere are much higher than Bellevue's $50 per event charge, he said.

Should transient vendors pay a fee to do business in Bellevue? As another season of farmers markets and other events kicks off, some borough officials and business owners think vendors should be charged.

Bellevue has an ordinance covering transient vendors such as those who set up shop at the weekly farmers markets and other events organized by Enjoy Bellevue, including a car cruise in May and the Summer Solstice in June. That ordinance requires vendors to obtain a permit when they sell items in Bellevue, with a fee charged for each permit.

Bellevue will turn to a professional pool management company to cover the Memorial Park swimming pool this summer.

Council's parks and recreation committee held an emergency meeting last Saturday when officials realized that they had not received viable applications for the pool manager's position. According to committee chair Lisa Blaney-Stewart, the borough received proposals from only one individual, but two companies.The committee recommended entering into a contract with one of the companies, Swim America, owned by a Bellevue resident.

Bellevue's new solicitor is finding out the hard way what it means to earn his retainer in the borough.

Tom McDermott found himself uninformed and on the hot seat as Bellevue Council wrangled over several issues at its twice-rescheduled regular meeting on Feb. 16.

Bellevue’s chances of approving a 2010 budget by the end of the year went up in smoke last Friday night when a scheduled public hearing never got off the ground.

Although five members of council were in the room at 6 p.m., when the budget hearing was supposed to start, two refused to participate because they said the borough administration had failed to comply with Bellevue’s home rule charter in terms of the pre-hearing mandated advertising.