Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Coroner Budget Parking topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Coroner presents reduced budget and asks county to fund failing courthouse parking lot
Summary
The county coroner proposed a slightly reduced 2026 budget driven by lower autopsy/toxicology costs and sought funding for a $84,003 parking lot replacement, citing safety and adopted county building codes.
Rich, the county coroner, presented his 2026 budget to the LaSalle County Finance Committee on Aug. 12 and reported a requested total of $5,919.94 (thousands) — a reduction from the current year's budget driven primarily by a lower caseload for autopsies and toxicology testing.
"We went from the biggest change is we went from the 1 year we in '22, we had, we were 1 of the worst counties in the state for overdoses. We had 42. Right now, we're sitting on 12," Rich said, explaining that a lower overdose caseload lowered projected forensic costs. He also said payroll-line adjustments reflect an anticipated retirement and training overlap for his administrative deputy.
Separately, Rich asked the committee to consider funding replacement of the administration building parking lot, which he said was original pavement from 2006 and is now failing in multiple areas. He showed photos and told committee members the contractor estimate for a full replacement is $84,003.30. He cited the county's adoption of building codes requiring maintained, nonhazardous parking lots and said his public safety and property committees recommended including the work in next year’s budget or funding it from the public safety fund.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about part‑time deputy schedules, training needs, and how the coroner’s payroll forecasts would shift after staff turnover. The coroner said his proposed payroll costs include training pay for up to 10 weeks for a replacement and that part‑time staffing needs reflected ongoing recruitment; he said he has six active part‑time deputies, down from prior years, and would like to get to about 10.
The committee signed the budget forms to indicate representation and recommended the budget proceed through the normal approval process. On the parking lot, members agreed to “put it on the list” to be considered out of the county’s public safety fund and review its funding during the remainder of the budget process.
No formal vote to appropriate money for the parking lot was recorded; committee members asked staff to include the request in public safety funding considerations for the upcoming budget cycle.
