LaSalle County coroner outlines 2026 budget, flags parking-lot repairs and staffing shortfall

Rich, coroner for LaSalle County, presented his proposed 2026 budgets to the Finance and TIF Committee on July 28 and described three main concerns: restricted revenue accounts, a deteriorating parking lot at the coroner's building, and short-staffing that is prompting a budgeted personnel option. Rich said the county expects the death-surcharge fund (account 42) check from the state to be roughly $4,003.86 and that those dollars are restricted by state ordinance to technology and equipment purchases. He also reviewed the coroner's corner fee fund (account 51), noting that revenue varies with the number of deaths processed and that some recent carryover money had been used for building-related…