The consultant hired by the sewer subcommittee of the Shenango Valley Intergovernmental Study Committee has acknowledged it is no longer working on a study to combine the sewer systems of Sharon, Farrell, Hermitage, Wheatland and Sharpsville.

"The intergovernmental study committee has discharged or terminated Kimball with regard to that study," said Dan Miller, project engineer for L. Robert Kimball and Associates, Ebensburg. "That's well within their rights in the contract."

The subcommittee has been unhappy with Kimball for some time, saying Kimball failed to live up to the contract by not securing grant money, give progress reports or gather information for the study.

In a statement, Miller did not address those issues.

He also did not discuss the $13,000 Kimball has billed the city of Farrell, the lead community for SVISC, for work it says it did on the study.

The city, following the subcommittee's recommendation, has not paid any money to Kimball. The subcommittee said it is waiting for a report from Kimball substantiating what work it has done to deserve payment.

Despite that, Miller said there is no dispute between his firm and the subcommittee.

Miller said additional questions would have to be faxed to him.

Questions sent Friday afternoon by The Herald were not responded to.