Commissioners approve purchase of mobile morgue funded by OLS grant

Denman County Commissioners on a recorded vote approved purchase of a mobile, self-contained morgue unit awarded to the county under a state OLS grant.

The purchase was presented by JP Sonia Perez, who said the unit follows a model used by Brooks County and was included in an OLS application that ultimately awarded the mobile morgue to Denman County. Perez told commissioners the county must obligate grant funds before the grant period ends in August and recommended buying the unit now so staff can finalize logistics, including who will operate and maintain it.

Perez said Brooks County’s model and existing OLS guidance informed the application and that Brooks County continues to operate and certify staff for its mobile unit. Commissioners and staff discussed whether the unit should be stationary or mobile; Perez and others said the OLS award approved a mobile unit and the county had replicated Brooks County’s approved approach. County staff noted a stationary facility would likely provide more square footage but that the grant funded the mobile option.

Commissioners repeatedly raised operations questions: where the unit would be stored, who would manage and certify it, how the county would handle fueling and generator backups, and how long ongoing operating costs would remain the county’s responsibility if OLS funding ends. Perez and staff said the unit would remain county property once purchased and that the county would need to incorporate long-term maintenance and operating costs into future budgets if grant funding is discontinued.

Perez said the grant award did not include a funded maintenance position and that the county would need to identify staff or funding to maintain the unit; staff said they were working to identify an RCM maintenance person to handle service and upkeep. Commissioners asked for a plan that addresses fueling, generator backup and whether the unit should be sited at the sheriff’s fenced compound for camera monitoring and security.

Commissioners also compared projected storage costs for decedents with the cost of the mobile unit. A commissioner noted prior daily storage costs of about $250 per day per body and compared that to owning and operating the mobile unit as a potential cost-saving measure over time.

After discussion, a motion to approve the purchase carried on a voice vote. Commissioners and staff said they would follow up to assign a maintenance lead, finalize placement and identify any additional budget items needed to operate the unit after grant funding ends.

The court recorded no specific contract number, vendor invoice or exact purchase order amount in the discussion on the record; staff said they were working with the auditor’s office to establish an award number and complete required procurement steps.