Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Coroner presses for time to review budget answers after surprise county review; board schedules follow-up
Summary
County Coroner Chris Hegman and deputies discussed a budget review with commissioners after staff proposed reducing coroner staffing as a cost-control option. The coroner asked for more time to examine questions and documentation; the board agreed to reconvene the discussion in mid‑March and asked staff to send follow-up materials by email.
Clear Creek County Coroner Chris Hegman and deputies briefed the Board of County Commissioners Feb. 18 in a work session about coroner operations, recent caseloads and a proposed change in staffing that county staff had presented as a budget-balancing option.
Hegman said he was surprised the staffing reduction had been raised late in the budget process and asked for time to review the board’s questions and the responses staff provided. He described recent caseload complexity, including donor/tissue‑donation coordination, multi‑agency case coordination and forensic needs, and said those factors increase the time and cost per case. Hegman noted that many deaths in the county require coroner involvement because the county lacks a hospital or nursing facility; the sheriff’s office and coroner coordinate initial responses and investigations.
Commissioners asked for itemized detail to understand coroner costs, including a breakdown of time-per-case, number of autopsies and the drivers of cost increases (toxicology, pathologist fees, PPE and other supplies). Hegman said autopsy costs can run roughly $2,000 per case depending on testing and that some supply costs (body bags, gloves) have risen. He said deputies attend autopsies when available and that his office fields after‑hours calls; Hegman said he does not receive overtime for on‑call duty.
The board and coroner agreed to improve communications: the coroner asked that follow-up questions be sent in email (copied to County Manager Brian Bridal) and gave staff time to compile further material. Commissioners directed staff to prepare comparative budget and caseload information with county finance for peer comparison and asked the coroner to come back for a follow-up work session on March 18 if additional detail can be produced.
Ending: Commissioners thanked Hegman and his staff for the office’s work and scheduled a March follow-up to consider coroner budget questions in more depth.
