Schuylkill County Commissioners voted 2-1 Wednesday to hire Susquehanna Accounting & Consulting Solutions Inc. to provide technical consulting for the American Rescue Plan funds.

Commissioner Gary Hess voted no, but didn’t comment on the reason during the meeting.

The firm is the same one the county approved to administer the $12,765,970 in CARES Act money the county received from the federal government.

As approved, the hourly rate will it exceed $275. Costs will be paid for with money from the American Rescue Plan, which President Joe Biden signed into law March 11.

Afterwards, Hess said he disagreed with the way the firm was providing updates on the CARES funds. Hess had asked for an exact accounting several times and didn’t get an answer when asked several months ago A review from the state Department of Community and Economic Development showed the money were spent correctly.

The county is getting $27,415,708 from American Rescue Plan funds. So far it has received about $13 million. Money has remain unspent because treasury rules are not finalized. A final installment will arrive in 2022.

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington praised the firm.

“I think it’s good we’re doing this, my personal opinion, he said. The CARES Act that we got involved with was very complicated. Several times throughout DCED changed the rules and regulations,” he said.

He said Susquehanna Accounting & Consulting did “a great job through CARES contrary to some popular belief and some comments. Every step of the way DCED commended us on the way we handed stuff in and we did it properly, so I think it’s fiscally smart to have those folks helping us out,” Hetherington said.

The public was informed earlier this month where the money went-despite the state approving the expenses in March.

Residents and members of the business community were vocal critics of how the money was spent.