Mercer County Regional Council of Governments has put an end to an annually renewable contract.

Tuesday, the COG board approved accepting bids for grass mowing and trimming, sewer line cleaning and inspections, insect and weed spraying, and general construction work for COG-owned or administered facilities and/or member municipalities.

The move was made at the behest of Hermitage, Sharon and Shenango and Wilmington townships, who disapproved of COG Executive Director James A. DeCapua's breaking down of projects into smaller tasks to avoid estimates or bidding requirements, and giving the work to North American Businesses of Shenango Township under the renewable contract.

The contract renews each year as long as North American does not raise its rates, but it also had a clause that either side could end it.