Sharon schools will remain in consortium

SHARON, Pa. -- The city school board has voted to remain a part of the Western Pennsylvania Schools Health Care Consortium through at least the end of the year.
The board had voted earlier this year to drop out of the 12-school consortium, citing rising costs and a lack of confidence in the consortium operations.
The Reynolds School District, another consortium member, took the same action and both Reynolds and Sharon announced plans to join another health-care group to provide benefits for their employees.
The consortium took the issue to court, seeking to prevent them from leaving and contending the two districts hadn't followed consortium bylaws that require a six-month notice of plans to leave.
The issue never got a court hearing as the two districts and the consortium reached a compromise last week whereby Sharon and Reynolds will stay with the consortium until at least Jan. 1.
If they want to leave, they must now notify the consortium in writing by Nov. 1.
The Sharon school board officially agreed to the terms in a special meeting Tuesday. Reynolds is to vote on the issue next Wednesday.