Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Equipment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
LaSalle County coroner seeks radios, wider doors and awning in budget presentation
Summary
Coroner Rich Bach told the finance committee his budget largely mirrors last year’s but includes capital requests: approximately $136,006 for a set of portable radios plus $1,500 installation, a $16,000 estimate to widen decedent‑transfer doors (plus up to $3,000 for security/fob work), and an awning/fence estimate around $9,000.
LaSalle County Coroner Rich Bach presented his 2026 budget to the Finance & TIF Committee on July 14 and highlighted several capital items he asked the committee to consider for inclusion in next year’s public safety allocations. He said the coroner’s office is largely at full staff but faces higher statutory pauper‑disposition costs and several one‑time facility and equipment needs.
Bach said he had a vendor quote for 10 portable radios and three base radios to migrate the office from VHF to the Starcom system; the quote was $136,006.21 plus about $1,500 for installation. He asked the committee to “piggyback” on the sheriff’s purchase to obtain volume discounts. He also reported a single conservative estimate of $16,000 to replace and widen the inner/outer decedent‑transfer door (with up to $3,000 additional for integrating electronic security fobs) and a spring estimate of roughly $9,000 for an awning/fence. Committee members asked for additional bids and asked Bach to coordinate with county property management (Wesley) and public safety before formally placing the requests in the next fiscal budget.
Bach provided a staffing breakdown during questioning: payroll lines include one bargaining‑unit employee and a salaried chief deputy, the coroner as an elected official on the elected‑officials payroll line, eight part‑time deputies and one clerical position under part‑time/no‑benefits. The committee asked Bach to provide copies of his employee list for budget discussions and to return with firm estimates for the doors and awning.
