County coroner reports 26 deaths in January, explains private and green-burial rules

The county coroner presented the monthly report to the Vernon County Health Department board and said the office handled 26 deaths in January, accounting for 13 male and 13 female decedents. "26 deaths in January," the coroner stated. The coroner also provided a financial snapshot of the office’s monthly bills and explained recent autopsy and toxicology expenses.

During Q&A, board members asked what procedures apply for green burials and private on-property burials. The coroner said the office must be involved in non-hospice deaths and that private burials on property are subject to county ordinances designed to record the body’s location: "If it's a private burial on your property, there's another whole process, another whole ordinance that the county has, to make sure that that body is properly identified where it is located on that property for the GPS coordinates is to make sure that does get recorded on the deed of that property," the coroner said.

The coroner noted planned outreach materials for families to clarify next steps after a death and mentioned upcoming training on green and private-burial topics for community groups. The board asked technical questions about hospice exceptions, cremation versus burial logistics, and interactions with funeral homes; the coroner answered that hospice cases typically do not require coroner involvement and that certain investigations (falls, suspected homicide or neglect) do trigger coroner jurisdiction.

No formal action followed the report; the coroner asked for feedback on an informational pamphlet being circulated to the board.