County attorney to require itemized bills as commissioners revise indigent burial agreement; $3,000 cap discussed

Fallon County commissioners and the county attorney reviewed a proposed standard contract for county assistance with final disposition (indigent‑burial) expenses and asked for changes to improve transparency and limit potential subsidy of optional upgrades.

County Attorney Darcy said the draft contract contemplates a basic package the county will help cover for an indigent decedent and that funeral homes must exhaust private payment options before the county provides assistance. Commissioners asked staff to add an explicit requirement that funeral homes submit an itemized, detailed bill when seeking county reimbursement, so commissioners and auditors can see what services were provided and guard against misuse of public funds.

Commission discussion referenced a recent case: commissioners said one recent funeral totalled $6,500 and a county reimbursement cap (discussed in the meeting as $3,000) left the funeral home taking a loss on the remaining balance. Commissioners and the county attorney agreed the county’s assistance is intended to cover minimum necessary disposition costs for an indigent decedent, not to supplement privately funded upgrades. Commissioners also discussed the need for an application or affidavit from family attesting to financial status and for staff to verify assets to the extent possible.

Ending

The county attorney will revise the contract to include a requirement for an itemized invoice and clearer language about the level of services the county will cover; commissioners will revisit and finalize the contract at a subsequent meeting.