There still are some differences of opinion among members of the Shenango Valley Intergovernmental Study Committee as to what state officials told them during a trip to Harrisburg.

But Frederick A. Reddig, one of the state officials who sat in on the meetings, said Tuesday the state is doing all it can to help the committee meet its financial needs.

Members of the committee met with state officials Feb. 5, including Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Samuel A. McCullough.

Hermitage Commissioner James "Pat" White said officials indicated that they will not be able to supply the funding needed should Farrell, Sharon, Hermitage, Sharpsville and Wheatland agree to merge or consolidate.

"That's not what I heard," said Hermitage citizen representative Robert Jazwinski. "I heard, "Get us your needs and we'll see what we can do.' "

Other committee members said the state wants the committee to identify specific funding needs.

"It sounded like a given," Sharon citizen representative George Gerhart said.

Reddig, local government policy manager for the Department of Community and Economic Development's Center for Local Government Services, said it's unlikely the state would provide a one-time lump sum. But smaller funding requests for specific purposes could be matched with state programs, he said.

Reddig noted that his department is looking to find the proper source for the committee's request to fund a sewer study of the five towns.

He agreed that state officials were unprepared to say much about the grant request in Harrisburg. He said the application had just been filed and no one had the opportunity to look over the details before the meeting.

Reddig said he has talked with Department of Environmental Protection officials since that meeting.

"We're going to work with you so that funding can be identified for that sewer project," Reddig said.

Farrell Mayor William Morocco noted that earlier in the day Reddig presided over a public hearing about a request from Farrell for $25,000 of the $100,000 the committee is seeking from the state for the sewer study. Farrell is eligible for the money by its status as a financially distressed community.

Dennis Puko, executive director of Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, said that although there would be costs to merge or consolidate communities, there also would be savings.

Some of the expenses, such as improving roads, would be incurred by the municipalities separately anyway, he said.

Much of the initial cost, Jazwinski said, would be to bring roads, curbs and drainage up to "the same standard" throughout the five towns.

But, Jazwinski added, much of the specific funding requests would come after a merger or consolidation measure is approved.

"The real needs come after the consolidation vote," he said.

Alan R. Kugler, the consultant hired for the study, pressed the subcommittees to finish their reports for the full committee to consider.

"We're sort of sliding in here now," he said. "We're getting close."

The committee set its next meeting for 6:30 p.m. March 19 in the Wheatland Borough Building.