The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office told the Finance Committee it has reached full staffing, reduced autopsy and toxicology turnaround times materially, and will move to a new forensic science facility next year, while flagging significant unpaid fees by some funeral homes.

Why it matters: the medical examiner investigates sudden, unexplained and violent deaths and provides death-certificate and autopsy services that feed public health data, traffic fatality reporting and criminal investigations; staffing, turnaround time and facility capacity affect public health reporting, criminal prosecutions and families' access to records.

Dr. Tom (as introduced in the record) said the office now employs seven forensic pathologists, operates an in-house toxicology laboratory that received ISO accreditation, and reported autopsy turnaround time fell from 124 days (2023) to 51 days (2024) after hiring additional pathologists. Toxicology turnaround time declined from 25 days to 14 days. The office conducts autopsies for Milwaukee County and referral work for several southeast Wisconsin counties.

Budget and operations: presenters outlined a recommended 2026 expenditure request and revenue composition; referral revenue, fee revenue and grants comprised much of the office's non-levy funding. The office said personnel represent about 75% of its expenditures and that it will add a business-intelligence analyst through cross-charges to support a new case-management and toxicology IT implementation.

Unpaid funeral-home balances: staff said some funeral homes have accumulated past-due balances for services (death certificates, cremation permits, body transport) and that a minority of firms account for large outstanding amounts; the operations manager reported roughly 12 to 15 funeral homes with over $25,000 past due and one funeral home with an amount exceeding $500,000. The medical examiner will implement a January 1 policy requiring upfront payment by funeral homes with balances of $25,000 or more and reserve the right to send debt to collection.

Facility and technology: the office will move to a new Forensic Science Center in mid-2026 funded with state and county ARPA funds. Staff warned the ongoing operational costs for the new facility could be substantial and said they are working with county departments to cover those without cutting services. The office also plans new case-management and toxicology software to increase efficiency.

Ending: no committee action was taken. Medical examiner staff thanked the county for support and asked the committee to note the receivables problem and operational costs related to the new facility.