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Medical examiner wins board approval for fee increases and CPI indexing
Summary
The board approved increases to medical examiner fees (expert witness fee from $400 to $600; cremation storage fees from $50 to $70) and authorized an annual CPI-based adjustment (CPI or 3% whichever is less) to limit recurring board requests.
The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners approved proposed fee increases for services provided by the county medical examiner and added an automatic annual adjustment tied to the consumer price index.
Dr. Miller, the county medical examiner, explained that fees will be increased immediately (for example, expert witness fees from $400 to $600 per hour and cremation-related fees from $50 to $70) and that future adjustments will automatically follow the countywide Consumer Price Index or 3%, whichever is less. "The CPI index is just so that we don't have to come in front of you more often than you want to see us, for increases related to cost of living," Dr. Miller said.
Board members asked operational questions about collection of storage fees and implementation. Vice Mayor Woodward asked whether fees for storage would be collected at time of retrieval; Dr. Miller confirmed the plan was to collect at retrieval and that policy language would reflect that practice.
The vote: The board approved the fee changes and the CPI indexing language by a 6–0 vote.
