Friday, January 30, 2004
Some officials say the proposal is at least worth discussing.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The Mercer County Regional Council of Governments is having an open informational meeting between Sharon and Farrell officials today to talk about municipal consolidation.
Just how much interest there is in the subject isn't clear, but officials from both sides believe it's worth taking a look.
The meeting comes two months after a committee looking at the possible consolidation of five Shenango Valley municipalities ended its work with no recommendation for any consolidation or merger of Farrell, Sharon, Hermitage, Sharpsville and Wheatland.
Four-year study
That committee spent four years looking at the issue, but it couldn't come up with a plan that would make consolidation feasible.
As that committee ended its work, James DeCapua, COG executive director, came up with his own version of a possible consolidation of just Farrell and Sharon and presented his suggestions to the two municipalities.
Farrell council later asked DeCapua to serve as a facilitator to set up a meeting with Sharon officials to see if there was interest in looking at the plan.
Farrell representatives have made a commitment to be at the meeting at the COG office on Highland Road at 5:45 p.m., said Mayor William Morocco.
It can't hurt to talk about the idea, and it could lead to discussions about increased shared services, one of the few recommendations to come out of the five-municipality study, he said.
Wanted meeting delayed
Fred Hoffman, Sharon council president, said he would have preferred that the meeting be delayed until Sharon fills two vacant council seats, a process that should be completed by the end of February.
"I don't know if there's any interest. It's worth looking at," he said Monday.
Sharon Mayor David O. Ryan said before that he wasn't interested in DeCapua's plan and he repeated that position Monday.
"I stick with the recommendations of the [five-municipality] study that shared services is the way to go," Ryan said, adding that it's not financially possible to consolidate or merge.
A consolidation would mean two municipalities join together to form an entirely new municipality, and Ryan said he opposes that as well.
He said he wouldn't be averse to talking about a merger in which Sharon absorbs another municipality.
Ryan said DeCapua's plan calls for a council-manager form of government and a smaller police force using some part-time officers -- suggestions he opposes.
"I can't say it's unanimous, but there are some pockets of interest," DeCapua said of his plan. "If anything comes out of it, I hope they'll let the citizens decide by referendum vote."