During Wednesday's work session of the Schuylkill County Commissioners, it was announced that after months and months of requests from county citizens, the media, and even one of the Commissioners, the details on how the County's CARES Act funding was appropriated will be made available next week.
In 2020, the Federal Government allocated Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Funding to each County to determine on their own how the funding should be allocated during the Coronavirus Pandemic. The funding was to be used to help municipalities, small businesses, and non-profits survive and stay afloat while being closed and leaving their employees unemployed.
Schuylkill County itself received $12 Million during the first round that was distributed as follows:
- $367,493 to municipalities
- $225,629.07 to Non-Profits
- $504,989.24 to Small Businesses
- The other $11 Million allocated to Schuylkill County itself
In December of 2020, the specific details of who received the funding was announced but since, it has been a mystery on where the $11 Million was spent by the County.
During the Wednesday's meeting, Jeffrey Dunkel of Palo Alto, brought up the topic of the CARES Act Funding as he has done several times before during the Public Speaking portion of the meeting.
Unlike previous requests, Schuylkill County Commissioner Baron Hetherington had an update on the request for details. Hetherington announced that during next Wednesday's Commissioners meeting on July 14th, 2021, Mark Morgan, director of Susquehanna Accounting and Consulting Solutions will be in attendance and the details of where the $11 Million was spent will be released.
Schuylkill County Commissioner Gary Hess also went on the record during the meeting and stated that while he has sat through meetings involving the funding, he still wanted to see a list "on paper" of how the money was spent. Hess said he is very interested in seeing the details next week.
We will have the details next week when the information is made available.
