West Middlesex Area School directors still have a chance to fill a vacancy on the board -- if a board member decides to make that motion.

Tom Hubert, board president said if a board member makes the motion at Monday's regular meeting, it's possible the board could fill the empty seat.

Technically, the board has until Wednesday -- 30 days after former board member Gary Koncar's resignation -- to choose someone for the position.

After three attempts Oct. 14 to fill his unexpired, directors deadlocked and decided to let county judges choose who will serve out the unexpired term of the former director.

John Reed, board solicitor, gave copies of a draft petition to board members at Monday evening's work session and explained that they could fill the vacancy next Monday _-- even after Wednesday's 30-day deadline -- because no petition has been filed with Mercer County Common Pleas Court.

However, residents also could decide to gather 10 signatures before then and file a petition asking the court to fill the vacancy, he said.

The board would then no longer have the option to name a replacement, Reed said.

Koncar resigned Sept. 23 citing job conflicts, personal attacks and negativity as a few of his reasons for leaving. Board members deadlocked three times after interviewing five candidates for the empty seat.

On Oct. 14, the board was faced with the decision either to recess and reconvene the meeting at a later date to continue discussions or ask the court to fill the vacancy.

Directors voted to turn the decision over to the judges.

Hubert said any decision to try again would have to be made either at the meeting Monday or at a special meeting before then. A special meeting would have to be advertised.

If naming a board member is left up to the judges, they will advertise for the position, receive letters of interest from applicants and then go forward with interviews.

Hubert said the board probably could have figured a way around last week's decision, but the decision was made and it's time to move forward.

"I can understand people's reservations on that, but it's a democracy. I feel the board made its decision 5 to 3 and that's the way we should pursue this even though I may not agree with the decision," he said.

The school board meets at 7 p.m. Monday in the high school library.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Larissa Theodore at ltheodore@sharonherald.com