(a) Employment.--The auditors may employ an attorney if a disagreement occurs between the auditors and an official or a board of officials whose accounts the auditors are required to audit. The attorney shall not be employed under this subsection until all of the following occur:
(1) Reasonable efforts to reach an agreement have been made.
(2) Notice of the auditors' intention to hire the attorney has been given to the official or board of officials.
(b) Compensation.--The auditors, with the agreement of the board of commissioners, shall determine the compensation to be paid to the attorney. If the auditors and board of commissioners cannot agree on the compensation, upon petition of the auditors, the court of common pleas shall establish the compensation for the attorney employed by the auditors. The compensation for the attorney shall be paid out of the township general fund.