Audrey Kirsch Audrey K. Trunick Kirsch, 74, of Bellevue, died Thursday, May 10, 2012. She is survived by her husband, James R. Kirsch; four children, Bruce Kirsch and his wife Kim of Pittsburgh, Keith Kirsch and his wife Lesley of Audubon, NJ, Pamela Michelitsch of Port Allegheny, PA and Glenn Kirsch and his wife Beth of Emsworth; four siblings, Leah Carlisle, Shirley Tyson, William and Harold Trunick; and nine grandchildren, Jonathan, Samantha, Allison and Carolyn Kirsch, Ryan Michelitsch, Alexandra, Cameron and Baylor Kirsch.

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.

Barely a month after voters rejected allowing liquor licenses in Bellevue, the borough is dealing with a proposal to sell beer in Bayne Park -- a proposal from the borough's own employees.

The idea for a "beer corral" in the park developed from plans to hold an arts festival to raise money for the borough's matching share of a grant to build a skate plaza in Bayne Park.

Assistant Avonworth football coach Derek Johncour will take over as head coach for the Antelopes.

Johncour was hired by the Avonworth School Board at a special meeting last Thursday evening, just days after parents appealed to the school board to rectify the situation created when officials declined to rehire former head coach Jason Kekseo.

Holly Hunt, 16, has returned to Avonworth High School after spending a year in Japan, where she learned of a new culture and developed an appreciation for a different way of life.

The junior traveled to Niigata, Japan, where she spent 11 months as an exchange student through the American Field Service program.

The largest city on the Japan Sea coast, Niigata has a population of over a half million and is home to several cultural events throughout the year.

Bellevue Council declined to give officials the option of making a new position full- or part-time, opting to limit it to part-time.

A handful of people appeared before Bellevue Council Tuesday evening to comment on the proposed 2011 budget and its inherent fee hikes.

One resident said that the switch to a usage-based sewer surcharge and the increase in garbage collection fees will result in an increase in cost that is greater than her salary will increase next year. She objected to paying more for garbage collection simply because other people were not paying their bills.

“Don’t penalize the people who do pay,” she told council.

Several personnel matters were decided by the Northgate School Board at its regular meeting on Monday.

The board approved Shawn Polito as a substitute custodian.

Also approved were supplemental contracts for Victoria DiDomenico as middle school cheerleading sponsor for the winter season in the amount of $1,307, and a $4,017.00 supplemental for Torey O'Donnell as girls' varsity assistant basketball coach for the school year.

Coaches for fall sports were awarded supplemental contracts by the Northgate School Board.

Todd Goble will be the head golf coach, paid $3,533.

Mike Pipak will return as head football coach at a stipend of $6,804. Other football coaches hired include Jeff Smith, first assistant, $4,559., and assistant coaches Dan Sefick, Chris Lucas, Dave Haslett, Jr. and James Durkin, each of whom will be paid $4,083.

Stephanie Francis will be paid $3,558 as the head volleyball coach, with assistant coach Katie Greco paid $2,384.

The Avonworth-Northgate wrestling program is the latest target of school officials looking for ways to trim their budgets.

Wrestling is one of four cooperative sports programs shared by the two local school districts because neither has enough students to support its own teams. The other sports, for which the districts split the costs evenly, are golf, swimming and track.

A recent meeting of administrators from both districts produced what Avonworth superintendent Dr. Valerie McDonald termed a "collaborative agreement" to eliminate wrestling for a number of reasons.

A number of Avonworth coaches were hired at the school board's regular meeting on Jan. 18.

Phil Coffin will be the varsity baseball head coach.

Jamie Frantz was hired as an assistant baseball coach. The J.V. baseball coach will be Matt Wintermantel.

Douglas Pastore was hired as a middle school head baseball coach, with Jason Smith as an assistant coach.

Melissa Costantino will return as the middle school girls' volleyball head coach, with Kristen Buttenfield as an assistant.

Chris Knox will remain the varsity softball head coach, with Breanna Maisner as an assistant.