diff --git a/smartassist/src/utils.py b/smartassist/src/utils.py
index b0eff29..23ec68b 100644
--- a/smartassist/src/utils.py
+++ b/smartassist/src/utils.py
@@ -2,11 +2,9 @@
 # imported to more than one other module. The rational for defining these things here
 # is that it is easier to avoid circular imports when they are defined in a central location.
 import logging
+global log_level # Remember, in Python globals are only global in the module it is defined in
+log_level = 'INFO' # Default logging level
 
-global log_level
-log_level = 'INFO'
-
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 def set_local_logger(log_instance):
     """
@@ -22,14 +20,3 @@ def set_local_logger(log_instance):
     logging.basicConfig(level=numeric_log_level)  # Set the root logger level to the configured level
     log_instance.info('Log level set to {}'.format(log_level))  # Example usage of the logger
 
-
-def run_flask(app, fport=5005):
-    """
-    Starts the Flask server
-    """
-    # Flask endpoint for user interaction
-    logger.debug("Entering run_flask()")
-    # app.run(port = str(str(fport)), debug=False)
-    app.run(port = str(str(fport)), debug=True)
-    # app.run(port=5000, debug=True, use_reloader=False)
-    logger.debug("Exiting run_flask()")
\ No newline at end of file