Coroner-BOCC update notes
Lewis County Coroner’s Office
IAC&ME Accredited
Coroner Warren McLeod, MA, D-ABMDI
Office Location: 585 Center St. Chehalis, WA 98532
Mailing: 360 NW North St. MS: CORO1 Chehalis, WA 98532
(360) 740-1376
Fax (360) 740-1436
CORONER/BOCC UPDATE
DATE: 01/27/20
TIME: 1530
Agenda
Present:
Full BOCC
Rieva Lester, BOCC
Erik Martin, County Manager
Lindsey Pollack, Citizen
1. 2019 year-end report:
811 total
H-5
-2 OIS
-2 DV
-1 unsolved
S-20
A-27
U-7
No discussion
2. 2020 cases:
60 in three weeks
S-2
A-2
P-2
No discussion
3. January budgetary impact report
-distributed at BOCC update
Discussion: I described the two industrial accidents we have handled this month and
Commissioner Stamper asked me if we responded to the scene of the types of calls. I explained
that we respond to the scene of most deaths that occur outside of a hospital.
4. Indigent cremations:
3 going out. $1500 with $500 in budget
Anticipate amendment
Discussion: I acknowledged that this was one of the unfunded mandates we face.
5. Staffing:
2 FTEs
Deputy Coroners are “Causal/Extra Help” .
1.3 STATUS OF EMPLOYEES:
Sections:
2) Full-Time Employee: An employee who is hired to work at least 40 hours per week.
3) Part-Time Employee: An employee who is hired to work less than 40 hours per week.
5) Casual Employee: An employee who is hired to work on an intermittent or as- needed ( on-
call) basis.
Current 7 staff members:
1-7 years
1-6 years
1-5 years
3-2 years
1-1 year
Certainly not what is described under job title of Casual Employee. The LCCO is the only
county department staffed by Casual employees to do office functions on a regular basis.
Deputy Coroner is responsible for covering shifts to conducting medicolegal death
investigations.
Requirements:
2 years’ experience conducting medicolegal death investigations or 2 years working providing
direct patient care in an emergency medical setting (EMT/Paramedic).
Completion of 80-hour training program
Within 2 years of hire obtain ABMDI certification: 300 skills/knowledge sign off/4 hour written
exam/45 hours of ongoing continuing education ($500 cost)
No funds in the budget for certification testing so staff have been paying it themselves
Casual pay scale:
$14.50 per hour until they get ABMDI-$15.50
Created an environment where employees are working two and three jobs to make ends meet
Hold them to professional certification/accreditation standards and yet pay them unprofessional
wages. Working with HR to develop sustainable plan for the creation of FTE/PTE Deputy
Coroner positions.
No discussion
Additional:
6. Commissioner Fund brought up House Bill 2432 currently in the legislature. I explained that I
knew a portion of the bill was asking to raise the current amount of 25% of Medical Examiner’s
salaries be increased. There bill also requires all Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Offices to be
certified and accredited. I explained this was an attempt to raise the standards of all offices
across the state.
I also discussed the bill introduced by WAPA that called for the creation of a position of Coroner
in counties where the Prosecuting Attorney now holds both positions. WACME is supporting
this bill but we are not the sponsor.
I advised the BOCC that since I am no longer on the WACO board that I do not hold a position
on the WACME board.
7. Commissioner Stamper asked me about the overages that exist from the 2019 budget. They
advised that Budget Director Becky Butler was not able to make the meeting. I advised them I
would look at the information and get with Director Butler.
Meeting adjourned at 1550 hours.
Warren McLeod