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Bannock County coroner says autopsy costs have exceeded budget; commissioners approve $50,000 transfer
Summary
Coroner Tory Dender told commissioners autopsy demand and investigatory needs have pushed his autopsy line about $16,659 over budget; the board voted to move $50,000 from capital reserves to cover costs through the end of the year and asked for better reporting on autopsy counts and opioid-related deaths.
Bannock County Coroner Tory Dender told the county commissioners that the office's autopsy line has exceeded the $87,000 budget and was at $103,659 as of July 23, a $16,659 overage. Commissioners discussed options to cover the shortfall and approved a $50,000 transfer from capital reserves to the coroner's budget to cover autopsies through year end.
"My duty is to determine cause and manner of death," Dender said, describing the investigation that leads him to request an autopsy. He said certain cases are automatic autopsies (homicide, child fatality) and that autopsy or toxicology results are often necessary to provide families with definitive answers. "The ultimate decision is what do I need to do to make sure that we get the family definitive information," he said.
Commissioner (speaker 5) expressed concern about the growth in spending, noting the autopsy budget had climbed from roughly $40,000 to about $100,000 and urging clearer oversight: "We went from $40,000 when I first came in to now we're a $100,000, and we're looking for more than that this year." Several commissioners asked for regular reports that break out opioid-related deaths and other drivers of caseload so the board can evaluate longer-term funding options.
Budget staff recommended charging autopsy payments to the coroner's capital line or to contingency so the county can track overages more transparently; staff noted both sources are general-fund reserves and that restoring capital next year would be a board decision. After discussion, Commissioner (speaker 5) moved to take $50,000 from capital for the coroner; the chair put the motion to a voice vote and the motion passed.
The board asked staff to provide a follow-up briefing with case counts and a clearer breakdown of autopsies (including suspected opioid overdoses) and invited prosecutors and law enforcement to attend that briefing to clarify which cases are sent to autopsy and why.
