Alan R. Kugler wanted to start slowly, and Thursday's meeting lived up to his wish.

As the Shenango Valley Intergovernmental Study Committee reviews its subcommittee reports, Kugler, the committee's consultant, wanted to take the easiest reports first, and work up to more complex, controversial ones.

The committee is studying whether Farrell, Sharon, Hermitage, Sharpsville and Wheatland should merge or consolidate.

The reports by the subcommittee on streets and traffic signals and the subcommittee on community and economic development, planning and zoning and building code enforcement, inspection and health were accepted as presented with kudos to the work of the subcommittee members.

Streets chairman George Gerhart said the street departments of Farrell, Sharon, Hermitage, Sharpsville and Wheatland could easily be brought together into one.

He noted that the departments already work together in some cases, coordinate efforts and participate in joint purchasing through Mercer County Regional Council of Governments.

Denny Puko, chairman of the development subcommittee, said a consolidated department comes together "reasonably well" from the existing positions in the five municipalities.

He said the subcommittee recommends the department hire a full-time staff engineer, something none of the municipalities have.

The committee set its next meeting for 6:30 p.m. April 29 at a site in Farrell that has not been determined. Kugler said the subcommittees on recreation and fire will present their reports.

The fire report could be the most controversial so far as it proposes keeping the mix of paid and volunteer departments that already exist, which means residents of a consolidated city would see differing levels of fire protection.