Though West Middlesex Area School directors tried to fill a board vacancy on their own, Mercer County's judges are expected to fill the position at the end of the week.

Directors have been quibbling for weeks over who will fill the unexpired term of Gary Koncar who resigned in September.

Board President Thomas Hubert said Monday that though the directors were going to try to come to an agreement to fill the vacancy, 10 citizens signed a petition that requires directors to send the decision to the county judges.

"We no longer have any say in who will fill the position," Hubert said. He added that he was one of the 10 who signed the petition because he thinks the court should make the decision.

Board solicitor John Reed said he filed the petition at the Mercer County Courthouse last week. He said a legal notice will appear in The Herald to let people know how to apply for the position.

Reed said he was told by the court administrator that interviews will probably be conducted Friday and a decision made the same day.

Directors interviewed five people Oct. 14 who applied for the position including former director Jonathan Fister, J. Wayne Gill, Joe Marzano, Gerald Porter and Barbara L. Sochor. After over an hour of interviews the board was deadlocked and voted 5 to 3 to turn the decision over to the county.

At the Oct. 21 meeting directors discussed trying to choose a candidate again but the petition negated that possibility.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at kgarrett@sharonherald.com