By Heather Graves
Correspondent
BELLEVUE – For the second time this year, Bellevue is without a Department of Public Works (DPW) director, following the resignation of recently hired Steve Brueggeman.
However, after a vote earlier this week, it’s unlikely the position will be vacant for long.
Just two hours before the Wednesday, Oct. 9 village board meeting, Village Administrator Diane Wessel received Brueggeman’s resignation, less than a month after being hired.
“Unfortunately, today (Wednesday, Oct. 9), at about 4:30 (p.m.), I received the resignation of our public works director,” Wessel said at the Wednesday, Oct. 9, meeting. “He informed me that he had interviewed with a firm at the same time that he was going through the Bellevue hiring process. And apparently after starting with Bellevue he received an offer from the other firm and accepted it earlier this week and gave me his resignation today (Wednesday, Oct. 9), effective today.”
Brueggeman accepted the position with the village in August, and started Monday, Sept. 16.
He was selected from nearly a dozen applicants following a three-month long search, after former DPW director David Betts left the village in May for an unknown reason.
“I could not amend the agenda and meet public notice requirements for it to be an item for discussion at the Oct. 9 board meeting and get direction from the board as to how they would like to proceed because I was notified at 4:30 (p.m.),” Wessel said.
Not only is the village out a DPW director, but it is also out $866 for the background check done on Brueggeman prior to his hiring.
“We do not have insurance for the background check,” Wessel said.
Prior to coming to Bellevue, Brueggeman served as the Director of Planning, Engineering and Public Works for the Town of Freedom.
The village has already starting moving forward to fill the position.
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, board members met in closed session to discuss the next steps.
When board members reconvened into open session, they directed Wessel to offer employment of the DPW director to an undisclosed candidate.
“I cannot name the candidate at this time,” Wessel said.
More information will be released soon.
As for other vacant positions within the village, for the first time in several months, the village is nearly fully staffed.
The full-time public works engineering technician position is now filled, after sitting vacant since May.
“An offer has been extended and accepted for the engineering technician position,” Wessel said.
Wessel said the recreation supervisor position, left vacant by Adam Waszak earlier this fall when he was promoted to Parks, Recreation and Forestry director, will be filled in the near future.
“We are in the final interviewing process now for the recreation supervisor position,” Wessel said.
Wessel said there is also a battalion chief position open within the fire department, but it should be filled soon.
“We have been waiting to fill this position until the staffing structure of the fire department is determined, which would happen with the board’s approval of the union contract,” Wessel said.
She said the board will discuss the union contract at the next regular board meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 23.