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Family complaints and procurement questions mark Lake County coroner discussion
Summary
A Lake County work session examined financial policy enforcement after finance staff questioned purchases by the county coroner and grieving family members told commissioners the coroner delayed picking up a decedent; the district attorney has investigated but has not closed the matter.
Lake County commissioners heard a heated mix of policy questions and emotional public complaint during a March 5 work session after finance staff flagged specific coroner purchases for review and family members accused the coroner of failing to respond in a death call.
The discussion began as a review of how the county’s new financial policies are being implemented and how finance staff should engage with elected offices. Tim Bergman, who opened the session, said the goal was to clarify “the enforcement of those policies, the importance of those policies, to be able to track the public’s money, and how we do that.”
The discussion turned personal when residents from Leadville’s Gallegos family raised an allegation that the coroner did not promptly pick up a relative’s body on March 31 of the prior year and that family members waited for hours. A family representative criticized the coroner’s conduct in public comment; multiple speakers said recordings and 911 call logs exist. The commissioners said they would provide state-level contact information for filing formal complaints and offered to follow up on available grievance channels.
The coroner, Alex (Lake County coroner), defended his purchases and described his office’s practices, saying his office saved the county money in the prior year. Alex told the board the coroner’s office finished the last year about $20,000 under budget and that the office “saved the county, almost $77,000,” attributing savings to lower caseload and careful spending. He also said some equipment purchases reflect maintaining a small stock of items used by the office.
Candace (finance staff) said finance reviewers had flagged two purchases on an Amazon order as appearing to be personal items: a pair of Smith Optics MagShift sunglasses listed at $215 and a Leatherman Charge Plus TTI multi-tool for $189.95. Candace said the finance office routinely asks for receipts and justifications for purchases so staff can meet IRS documentation requirements and be transparent with taxpayers. She described the exchanges with the coroner’s office as opportunities to meet and clarify policy rather than to accuse.
The county said the matter had been reported to the Fifth Judicial District attorney’s office; a county official said that office had investigated and, to the county’s knowledge, found no indication of criminal malfeasance but had not formally closed the investigation. Commissioners repeatedly cautioned that the county cannot adjudicate or litigate an active investigation and encouraged complainants to pursue the DA’s office for the status of the inquiry. The board suggested citizens contact Heidi McCollum, the elected district attorney for the Fifth Judicial District, for updates.
Throughout the discussion, several commissioners and staff emphasized a desire to improve cross-department communication and to move more conversations out of email and onto in-person meetings to reduce misunderstandings. Candace said finance’s intent was to be transparent and to help departments comply with new policies; Alex said he would comply with clearly articulated policies going forward and expressed willingness to reconcile procedures.
Ending: Commissioners said they would follow up with the complainants on complaint channels and provide contact information for the district attorney; they also reiterated that enforcement of any disciplinary or legal action in this matter rests with the DA or other appropriate agencies, not the Board of County Commissioners.
