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Lawrence County Council Nixes Expansion At Coroner's Office

Last updated on Friday, July 29, 2016

(BEDFORD) - The Lawrence County Council voted 5-2 to nixed a proposal by Coroner Rob Herr to expand services at the county to include histopathology testing.

Histopathology (or histology) involves the examination of sampled whole tissues under the microscope. Three main types of specimens are received by the pathology laboratory.

Earlier this year Herr purchased the equipment needed to do the testing from IU Health Hospital. The hospital was doing the testing for the coroner's office but phased out the testing. So unless the coroner's office did the testing it would have to send the samples to another out-of-state agency add two to four weeks for us to complete a death certificate.

Herr told the commissioners at an earlier meeting that creating the lab would allow the county to offer the testing to other coroner's office and the room could also be used for a training facility which would provide income to pay for the addition.

Earlier this year the commissioners and council approved $1,616 from the Cumulative Capital Fund to pay for an assessment of costs associated with the project but the estimated cost was $150,000.

The commissioners accepted the project, contingent on the council's willingness to fund it.

But Council President Keith Dillman was not convinced the coroner's office could pay back the amount needed to complete the lab. Councilman Sam Craig was concerned with the timing of the project, saying the council is in the process of completing the 2017 budget.

The Times Mail reported Councilmen Gene McCracken and Mike Wright voted for the morgue expansion, while fellow members Dillman, Craig, Mark Mathis, Craig Turpen and Jim Edwards voted against it.

Edwards voted no because of the timing, but noted he would consider the project in the future.

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