Mercer County has been without a public safety director since Aug. 8 when James R. Thompson resigned. It appears that position at the 911 Center in Mercer will continue to remain vacant indefinitely.

County Commissioner Cloyd E. "Gene" Brenneman said Wednesday the three-step process for replacing Thompson has been delayed "for the time being."

Thompson left to accept a post as a senior project manager with L. Kimball and Associates in Pittsburgh.

Brenneman said a final decision on hiring a new director isn't expected to be made by him and fellow commissioners Olivia M. Lazor and Kenneth A. Seamans anytime "in the near future."

The deadline to apply for the position was Aug. 15 and commissioners had asked Bill Boyle, the county's personnel director, to have those applications in their hands by Aug. 19. At that point, commissioners were to reduce the list to about four or five candidates each, set up interviews and then collectively make a decision on Thompson's successor.

Brenneman said there were 24 applicants, some from as far as California and Florida and some from within the county. And while he said the commissioners and Thompson have "each short-listed the 24 applications," that's where the process has been shelved for now.