Susquehanna Accounting & Consulting Solutions Inc. will continue their work with the CARES funding after the Schuylkill County commissioners approved a contract Wednesday.

By a vote of 2-1, commissioners voted for a fee for service contract not to exceed $50,000 to provide “technical consulting” for the county from Jan. 4 through Dec. 31, 2021. Commissioner Gary Hess voted no.

“Where is the money coming from?” Hess asked finance director Paul Buber.

“Money is coming from the general fund,” Buber said.

He then explained the reasoning behind the contract. He said an Oct. 14 meeting about the CARES money and applications and some “challenges the county was having in connections with the applications they received for the grant program, so really it’s a continuation of some of those challenges that the county was dealing with back then.”

Secondly, he said the county is asking the company to “take the lead” in preparing their report to the county for the spending of the $12,765,970. Thirdly, the contract will not exceed $50,000.

Hess said recently he could not vote for the contract because he had not seen an exact accounting of how the money has been spent. County administrator Gary Bender previously provided information showing where $1,098,112 went to the 22 municipalities, 24 nonprofits and 30 small businesses. The county kept the majority of the money for expenses associated with the pandemic.

Officials, Buber and Mark Morgan, director of Susquehanna Accounting & Consulting, said those who were eligible for funding and met criteria received money.

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said the complicated application made the process difficult.

“The rules kept changing on this program,” he said.

To date, a couple of nonprofits are still being evaluated for funding, he said. A complete accounting of funds spent hasn’t happened because of “open applications,” he said.

A number was not provided.