Published Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999 The main concern the committee -- which met Monday prior to council's meeting -- had with the league's proposal was related to money. Lawyer Joann Joffrey, a Wheatland citizen representative, said the league's proposal was the only one of three that addressed implementation of a merger or consolidation. She said she would not want the committee to be charged the full amount of the league's proposal -- $45,000 -- if it decides not to pursue either option.
Dennis Puko, executive director of the Mercer County Regional Planning Commission and one of two people who reviewed the proposals for the committee, said the contract can be structured any way the committee wants. He added that the league proposed being paid monthly for the work done; if there's no more work to do, it will not be paid.
"It's just letting us know we're prepared if we go through with it," summed up Wheatland Councilwoman Lorraine Brown. "But if we stop short, we don't pay them anything."
"I think they understand we don't know which road we're going down," said Sharpsville Councilman Thomas Lally.
Tom Tulip of the league's Mercer County division said implementation would take more money than the $50,000 state grant Farrell has for the study, and the city would have to go back to the state for more money to implement a merger or consolidation. The study could get the committee to the point of asking voters if they want to merge or consolidate.
The study effort was started by Farrell in response to a recommendation by the league's Mercer County division, the city's economic recovery coordinator. Farrell asked Sharon and Hermitage to be part of the study, and the committee asked Sharpsville and Wheatland.
Puko said the league's northwest division, which is based in Erie, is a "separate and distinct division" from the Mercer County division, and Tulip has no connection to the northwest office.
Other proposals were from JAM Group Inc. of Hermitage for $49,700 and University of Pittsburgh professors Christine Altenburger and Mary Jane Kuffner Hirt for $18,000.
Puko said he and Mercer County Regional Council of Governments Executive Director James DeCapua favored the league because it has experience in merger-consolidation studies and has facilitated two that resulted in new communities being formed.
The Pitt professors' proposal was the lowest in cost, but Puko said it included areas of the study that other consultants would need to work on without making cost estimates.
The league's proposal was the "only legitimate bid," said Hermitage Commissioner Joe Augustine.
