For the third time, an 11th-hour compromise has kept the effort to merge Center Area and Monaca school districts on track.

The first came in December, when a newly seated majority on the Center school board was set to withdraw the consolidation application filed in October. The afternoon before the meeting, state Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak delivered a letter promising that the state would sit on the application until the new board was satisfied.

The second came at the end of May, when the Monaca board was ready to give up on Center and move on. The two boards' merger committees hammered out a deal that moved consolidation forward while delaying for a year a decision on the use of Monaca's high school, the most contentious issue.

The third came last week. The Center board prepared a resolution telling its superintendent, Dan Matsook, that he would not be reappointed, but with only minutes remaining until the deadline to notify him, the board agreed to extend that deadline 28 days. It was cut so close that last Thursday's board meeting was delayed while revised agendas were printed.

"I'm quite fine with that," Dr. Matsook said after the meeting. "My plans were to deal with this in July anyway."

Dr. Matsook's contract calls for the board to tell him 12 months in advance if it is not going to reappoint him.

Without such notification, the contract automatically renews for another five years.

Board Vice President Robert Martini said early last week that the issue of Dr. Matsook's status had gotten lost in the swirl of merger events, and that the board simply wanted to buy time by officially opening the superintendent's seat.

But the issue fomented a miniature revolution. Board member Rob Gradisek, a staunch supporter of both consolidation and Dr. Matsook, called a hasty meeting of the board's executive committee June 24 and worked out the 28-day extension.

Mr. Martini and board President Richard Nicastro, leaders of the five-member group that had controlled the merger debate, were both absent from that meeting.

The extension was then discussed by the full board in a private session before last Thursday's regular meeting. Mr. Nicastro ultimately cast the sole "no" vote but declined to reveal his reasons.

Getting a contract with Dr. Matsook is not a make-or-break consolidation issue, but he is one of the architects of the merger plan and would presumably be well-prepared to execute it.

If he does not remain as superintendent after his contract ends next June, his replacement would be starting on the target date for consolidation to become official.

Dr. Matsook's return is not a given. During the six-month consolidation debate, he clashed repeatedly with the board majority, trying to push the issue forward as the majority worked to delay it. Members of the majority group complained of feeling pressured by him and questioned whether information he gave them was biased.

The executive committee meeting was a blow to the majority group's control of the board agenda. Also, the board last Thursday accepted the resignation of Gregg Paladina, who is moving to take a new job, leaving the majority group with only four votes.

The board will accept nominations to replace Mr. Paladina.