A new year brings new changes to the City of Hermitage and the Borough of Wheatland. The two municipalities have officially merged as of January 1, following one year of planning after residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of the concept back in 2022. 

The merger comes after the Borough of Wheatland's study concluded the merger would benefit both Wheatland and Hermitage. 

"We looked at the merger as a win-win situation," explained Gary Hinkson, Hermitage City Manager. Hinkson explained borough officials originally approached Hermitage with the idea.

Hermitage City Manager Gary Hinkson explained Wheatland residents will see real-estate tax 80% less than what they're used to paying and be included in all of Hermitage's city services.

"We're going to get more benefits from the city in the street department. We already have them contracted. Now, we don't have to pay that contract out. We'll have them all the time," said Michael Niddel, former Wheatland Councilman. "We were landlocked by the City of Hermitage on three sides of the borough,  ad Shenango Township on one side. We had no more room to grow."

Hinkson explained that Hermitage benefits from Wheatland's industrial corridor with several successful businesses.

"Hermitage has the resources to help them expand and grow and attract new businesses into that area," Hinkson added. "We see that as a way that the City of Hermitage can develop our financial security moving forward."

Hermitage will no longer receive any payments from the borough like police and public works dollars but the city will now bring in funds like real estate and earned income tax revenue from Wheatland homes.

"So, we lose a little here but gain more back on the other end," he said.

Former Wheatland councilman Michael Niddel said it was a no-brainer for both towns to join forces. 

"To save us from 5 years down the road of having to raise taxes, now we're going to get taxes lowered," Niddel explained. 

Traffic regulation and zoning ordinances needed to be ratified to make sure all residents from the Wheatland region are on the same page.

"As of January 1st, the Borough of Wheatland ceased to exist as a municipality," Hinkson explained. "So their zoning ordinances went away and all their traffic regulations went away. And since they became a part of Hermitage, we had to amend our ordinances to cover that part that's now Hermitage, the former Wheatland area."

Ordinances included making Wheatland area stop signs and speed limits legal in Hermitage. Hinkson explained Hermitage had to put the city's zoning districts over the properties that were previously Wheatland. 

"Since they became a part of Hermitage, we had to amend our ordinances to cover that part of what is now Hermitage, the former Wheatland area," Hinkson explained.

Niddel said he has offered his help to the City of Hermitage now that he is not a councilman following the merger. "If there's anything I could do to help Hermitage moving forward, I'd be happy to."

Wheatland had just shy of 600 residents. Children who lived in Wheatland will still go to the Farrell School District and those tax dollars will continue to go to Farrell as well.