Hermitage commissioners were handed a petition Wednesday signed by 700 residents requesting the city drop out of the Shenango Valley Intergovernmental Study Committee.

James Bralski, 31, of Hermitage -- who said he was the unofficial spokesperson for the petitioners -- asked commissioners to do three things: oppose merger consolidation; pull out of the committee; and find ways to help the valley through active citizen and business participation, not bigger government.

"We don't accept the city's participation in the possible merger consolidation," he said.

Hermitage, Farrell, Wheatland, Sharon and Sharpsville are studying the possible merger of the five towns into a single city. The Intergovernmental Study Committee is charged with drafting a recommendation, pro or con, on that merger. Any possible merger would have to be approved by voters in all communities involved.

"I don't accept the premise of the city's participation. I don't believe there was any real intent to participate in the merger, but you didn't want to be perceived as against the Shenango Valley," Bralski told commissioners. "By putting our foot in the door, you created a slippery slope towards consolidation."

Three Hermitage men -- Bill Tesh, Bill Seifert, and George Kelly -- are spearheading the petition drive. They said they have drafted petitions for residents in the other four municipalities.

Commissioners said that they weren't making any hasty decisions about the possible consolidation.

"We've been three years at this thing. I still don't know if its good for the city or bad for the city," said Commissioner Joseph A. Augustine, a member of the study committee. "We don't even know the answer yet to whether it's right to merger or wrong to merge."

Commissioner James P. "Pat" White, who is also on the study committee, said by sticking with the study until its end, the cities could learn ways to help each other out. "There are a lot of ways we can help out one another without a merger. In the end it will be helpful, whether its consolidation or just shared services," he said.

"I made a commitment and it's as good as gold and that's why I'm still there," said White. "I'm there to protect what we have in Hermitage. We'll stick with it to the end, though I don't like it. I thought it would be done in 18 months. It's been 33 months. It's astronomical."

"This is not a done thing," Commissioner Sylvia Stull said.

For Hermitage to merge with the other communities, Mrs. Stull explained, the city's representatives would have to vote with the committee for the merger, then bring the proposal back to the city commissioners for another vote of approval, and every municipality involved would have to do the same.

Bralski let the commissioners know that petitions are still being circulated. "I'll be back next month and hopefully I'll have more signatures," he said.