Schuylkill County Commissioners approved using $1,037,033 from the American Rescue Plan money and adding it to the general fund.

The vote last Wednesday on the supplemental budget appropriation was unanimous.

Finance Director Paul Buber said the money can be used to “reimburse eligible government services.”

Commissioners approved the transfer of $2,026,426 to the general fund from ARP monies in November. Buber said the county was working on “interim guidance that was provided by the Department of the Treasury. Subsequent to that interim guidance, actually in January of this year, the final guidance was provided by treasury, and in that final guidance they provided some revisions and some further guidance and clarification on some of the regulations.” With that, the county was able to claim some additional expenses.

The county is due to receive $27,415,708 from the federal government. Of that, it has received about $13 million. The remainder is scheduled to be received this year.

Mark Morgan, director of Susquehanna Consulting and Solutions Inc., the firm hired for consulting on the ARP funds, said the federal government has a “lost revenue calculation” in determining reimbursement costs.

He said money can be used in four categories: to respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, those doing essential work during the pandemic, revenue lost, necessary investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure.

Money from ARP must be designated by Dec. 31, 2024. All money must be spent by 2026.

The final rules by the Treasury were issued Jan. 6, Morgan said.