MOUNT VERNON — The contract termination hearing for suspended middle school teacher John Freshwater has been delayed — again.

This morning, the attorneys for Freshwater and the Mount Vernon Board of Education had an extended meeting with hearing referee R. Lee Shepherd. Following that meeting the attorneys met with their clients.

At 11:16 a.m., Shepherd made a statement to the individuals waiting since 9 a.m. for the hearing to start.

“Even though this proceeding is not bound by the “Civil Rules of Procedure,” in the spirit of those rules it is my opinion that if we were to proceed today, it very well might create an unfair advantage to one side or the other. And in an effort to avoid that circumstance, we’re going to conclude proceedings for today and reconvene one week from today, 9 a.m., Friday, Jan. 22, 2010,” said Shepherd.

Shepherd, as well as the attorneys, declined to comment further.