Hermitage Commissioner Joseph Augustine said Monday the city should pull out of the Shenango Valley Intergovernmental Study Committee.

But, Augustine agreed to wait until after an Aug. 23 retreat when all members of the committee will meet to complete a model for a single government for Hermitage, Sharon, Farrell, Sharpsville and Wheatland.

Augustine, who is a member of the committee and chairman of its sewer subcommittee, said he has no interest in attending any more committee meetings. "Personally, I've had it," he said.

Commissioner James "Pat" White, who also is a committee member, said he feels the same way but would rather wait until the committee makes its recommendations to the five municipalities as to what should be done.

The committee could recommend that all or some of the communities merge or consolidate, share more services, or do nothing.

"I have all the information I need," Augustine said, but agreed to wait until after the retreat.

All 25 members of the committee -- two elected officials and three citizen representatives of each community -- have agreed to attend the retreat, said committee consultant Alan R. Kugler.

The retreat, set for 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the office of Mercer County Regional Council of Governments, will be closed to the public.

Each committee member is to receive a draft of the report Kugler is preparing on the model for a single municipal government.

Kugler said he would complete the report after the retreat.

The committee had discussed holding a second retreat, but Kugler said he hopes that will not be necessary. He said the committee could be ready to report its findings by the end of September.

While the retreat will be private, Kugler said it is not "government being conducted in private."

He said the committee has no governmental authority to bring about any changes. The municipal governments will decide whether to put a boundary change question on the ballot, and voters would then approve or reject a change.

If any communities decide to put the question to voters, the soonest a vote could take place is November 2003, he said.

"Prior to that time there would be ample opportunity for developing the Home Rule Charter document, intelligent and objective community-wide discussion and addressing other issues," Kugler said.