The Warren County Commissioners have selected a financial consultant as part of their involvement in the state’s Early Intervention Program.

The commissioners approved a $128,000 contract with Susquehanna Accounting & Consulting Solutions, Inc. during their Wednesday meeting.

Chairman Ben Kafferlin said the county put out a proposal to the state Department of Community and Economic Development back in May and were awarded $100,000.

When the commissioners turned around and went out for bid, just Susquehanna’s bid was received.

A second call for bids netted one from the Pennsylvania Economy League.

Kafferlin said that county staff reviewed the two proposals and recommended Susquehanna.

Commissioner Cindy Morrison confirmed that the $100,000 comes from DCED in the form of a grant, accompanied by a county portion of $28,000.

She then asked how the county’s participation in this program would be beneficial.

Kafferlin called the name a “bit of a misnomer. We are not distressed.

“The purpose of the program is to bring in consultants that can help with efficiencies, particularly fiscal management,” he said, noting that the state “strongly encourages” funded entities to undertake multi-year budget projection forecasting, an assessment of their current situation, planning, capital budget work as well as training on how to implement any recommendations revealed in the process.

He called it an “important step” to “Look back at the last few years and forward” to “forecast any problems coming” in order to develop solutions.

Kafferlin noted that they could seek funding from DCED to help defray costs of the recommendations revealed in the process.

“(I’m) not sure the county has done any long-term financial analysis in a long time,” Commissioner Jeff Eggleston said.