The Butler County coroner briefed commissioners on caseload trends and on plans for a new medical‑legal facility designed to centralize investigators, the morgue and transport services.

Caseloads and causes: The coroner said overdose fatalities are up modestly from a recent low and remain driven primarily by illicit fentanyl and methamphetamine. The coroner reported last year’s fatal overdoses were 88 and that the county is on pace this year for roughly 90–95 such deaths, depending on month‑to‑month variation. He also said over one-third of suicide deaths this year are veterans and that most suicides involved firearms.

Facility plans and operational benefits: The coroner described the new facility as a “crown jewel” for operational resilience, citing a secure sally port for discreet body intake, increased cooler capacity to avoid ad-hoc refrigerated trailers, and a layout that allows investigators, pathologists and law enforcement to work in the same building rather than traveling between sites. The coroner said the design will allow the office to manage mass-casualty surges with less reliance on ad‑hoc measures.

Staffing and equipment: The coroner said staffing is stable after recent turnover, and the office is pursuing grants to pay for equipment upgrades and a transport vehicle currently on order. The coroner asked the commission to support building and equipment planning ahead of construction and to help shepherd grant opportunities that could reduce capital costs.

Ending: The coroner said the new facility will improve response times, evidence handling and capacity for surge events, and asked commissioners to continue support for site planning and grant coordination.