NEWBERRY COUNTY — Two budget requests were made to Newberry County Council prior to their budget workshop this month.
Newberry County Coroner Laura Kneece made a request for two part-time, 29 hours a week positions, for two deputy coroners at $20,000 apiece ($40,000 total).
“Within the last three years, my office has employed eight different deputy coroners that possess the necessary experience per state statute to be a valuable asset. Unfortunately, with only a total of $25,000 that is allotted to my office, I was unable to retain those individuals,” she said. “As of right now, excluding myself and the chief deputy coroner, the two deputy coroners that I have employed get $5,000 each year — which is roughly gross $360 a month. If you compare that money to the minimum wage ($7.25), it comes out to $3.10 an hour.”
Kneece said this request does not include any salary adjustments for her chief deputy or herself.
“The duties that are required of us extend beyond just family members for unlawful deaths. We are a critical entity, providing instrumental evidence and information to the agencies responsible for investigating those unlawful deaths,” she said. “This information goes beyond the law enforcement agencies we serve, but also goes to the solicitor’s office for prosecuting persons responsible for the unlawful deaths.”
Kneece outlined 13 responsibilities her office is responsible for:
• Identification of the deceased.
• Subpoenaing and reading pages of medical records.
• Attending autopsies.
• Interviewing witnesses.
• Proper handling, transporting and submission of toxicological evidence to SLED.
• Issuing cremation permits after follow up investigations.
• Transporting decedents to hospitals for autopsies.
• Family notifications for Newberry County related deaths, as well as notifications of deaths from other counties and from other states.
• Issuing subpoenaing, retrieving medical records and personal effects of decedents.
• Communication with family, members of law enforcement, emergency room staff and forensic pathologist conducting the autopsy.
• Complete death investigation reports.
• Document medications removed from death scene.
• Be able to work various schedules to include, nights, weekends and holidays on an on-call status.
Kneece added that there is required training and certifications to stay within the accreditation standards.
“The basic course, without travel expenses, for a deputy coroner is a minimum of $795. I also require my deputy coroners, within two years of becoming employed with the county, to sit for the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigation exam, and that is a cost of $400 each,” she said.
Over the last 10 years, the call volume has steadily increased, according to Kneece. With that being said, Kneece added that autopsies have increased and their calls for service have as well.
Kneece also read the recommendation from the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners from the June accreditation, “A review of staffing pattern for the office has raised some concern. The county handles approximately 340 cases per year. The concern is with the low number of personnel, one full-time and one appointed chief deputy coroner and two deputy coroners, will leave liability and job stress, the staffing shortage may become an issue. This should be addressed in future budget reviews.”
EMS Director Jason Hentz also made a budget request. His request involved two ambulance remounts in the amount of $172,000 apiece. Hentz said the fleet is in disrepair, and originally they requested to build one additional ambulance — to add to the fleet.
However, Hentz modified the request, and he is now asking them to reconsider changing from the ambulance build at $245,000 to two remounts. A remount is making use of an ambulance that already exists. Remove the box from an ambulance that is old and worn and put a new chassis underneath.
At this time, one remount is already budgeted in the debt service levy for FY 20-21.