At its first meeting since July, the Shenango Valley Intergovernmental Study Committee showed little progress from the time off.

Meeting Tuesday in Sharpsville, the committee, which is studying whether Farrell, Sharon, Hermitage, Sharpsville and Wheatland should merge or consolidate, still is waiting for the police subcommittee to finish its report, which would allow the finance subcommittee to complete its own report.

Gary Hinkson, chairman of the police subcommittee, said the group has received a report from its consultant, Police Chief Harry Fruecht of Peters Township, Allegheny County, that includes proposals for creating a single police department from those of Sharon, Sharpsville, Southwest Mercer County Regional and Hermitage.

The subcommittee wants to meet with each police chief and union before preparing its own report, said Hinkson, the Hermitage city manager.

Hinkson said he hopes the report can be complete by mid-December.

The sewer committee also has not presented a report, but officials have said its work will likely continue no matter what the full committee recommends.

Study consultant Alan R. Kugler said that, while progress has been slow, it is not a sign of trouble,

"We must understand that this is not a weakness, the amount of time it takes to unfold," said the director of the Pennsylvania Economy League's Northwest Division in Erie. "It is just the process. This is a very difficult process with all kinds of possibilities in between."

Sharpsville Councilman Thomas Lally, a member of the committee, said he believes the committee is often its own worst enemy by trying to outline possibilities and ways of responding to them.

"Let's let the facts speak for themselves," he said.

Sharpsville Councilman Gary "Gus" Grandy, who is not a member of the committee and has asked council to pull out, said the committee should listen to what residents are saying.

While no merger or consolidation could occur without voter approval, Grandy said a vote could be decided by the majority of a small percentage of voters who choose to turn out on Election Day.

"There is no turning back and saying this wasn't a good idea" should a merger or consolidation go through, he said.