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Jefferson County coroner requests $80,000 midyear budget supplement for critical supplies
Summary
Jefferson County Coroner Dr. Cannon asked the Board of County Commissioners to place an agenda item to supplement the 2025 coroner budget by $80,000 for critical supplies, citing supply‑chain disruptions and rising prices; commissioners expressed support and staff will bring a future hearing.
Dr. Cannon, Jefferson County coroner, asked the Board of County Commissioners on May 20 to bring an agenda item requesting an $80,000 supplement to the coroner’s 2025 budget for “critical supplies.”
The request, presented as an out‑of‑cycle appropriation, was framed as a response to global supply‑chain disruptions and rising costs: “asking for, money for our budget, requesting 80,000, because we have an increase in supplies. And it does say it's emergency funds needed for, critical supplies,” Dr. Cannon said during the briefing.
Staff recommended that the item be scheduled for a future hearing so the board could “supplement the appropriations for the 2025 budget for coroner's office in general, to the ongoing amount of 80,000,” and commissioners discussed whether the county’s budget task force should track similar requests from other departments.
Commissioners noted the request came outside the normal budget process, but several expressed support. Commissioner Zenzinger said the early timing was “a little worrisome” and raised concerns about what she described as price gouging for essential supplies, but added she supported the request: “it's absolutely critical to the functioning of your office. So I understand the request. I'm in support of.” Other commissioners signaled agreement and staff said it would bring the recommended agenda item forward.
Board discussion distinguished the staff recommendation (to schedule a hearing to amend appropriations) from any immediate formal vote; no final appropriation was made during the briefing. Staff and commissioners also discussed tracking similar requests countywide and how different funds (for example, public‑safety revenue sources) relate to the coroner’s budget.
If the board places the item on a future hearing agenda and approves it, staff recommended the coroner’s general‑fund appropriation be increased by $80,000 on an ongoing basis to address the described supply shortfalls.
Further details presented by Dr. Cannon included that the office had already spent more than half of the year’s budgeted amount for supplies by May and that, in prior years, the office routinely faced December shortfalls without supplemental action.
