At 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Hermitage School Board members and negotiators for the teachers union were still waiting as an arbiter gathered more information to help resolve contract negotiations.

Dr. William E. Caldwell of the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board reconvened the hearing Wednesday from May 9, when he received the "final best offers" from both the board and 165-member Hermitage Education Association.

Caldwell met with the HEA at about 3:30 p.m. and board members at about 7. Representatives of both sides stayed late while Caldwell continued to meet with them.

"He's explaining his findings and talking to both sides," board President Duane Piccirilli said. "At this point, both sides are just digesting the results."

"It's just going along," said Paul Estock, the teachers' chief negotiator.

The nonbinding arbitration is a result of an impasse over salary increases. Contract negotiations have dragged on for more than a year and resulted in a seven-day teachers' strike in March. Teachers have been working without a contract since July.

Prior to the final offers, the union's salary request was $2,700 annually; the board offered $1,600 a year. The board's offer did not change in its final best offer, but the teachers lowered their request to $2,200 a year.

Caldwell will meet with both sides again today, then file a public report of his recommendations. Neither side is bound by his recommendations.