Dr. Brent Blue, Teton County coroner, told commissioners on Sept. 29 that the county's morgue is currently housed in a two-car garage space that was formerly the weed-and-pest department and that planning funds are needed to move toward a purpose-built facility.

Blue said the county averaged about 30 deaths per year when he first took office 10 years ago and that the number has increased to close to 50 per year. He said staff repaired immediate health and safety problems after he took office, but the facility remains "marginal." He asked the board to restore $100,000 that had been in a previous budget and later dropped, so the county can complete architectural work and a site plan that would enable future construction.

Blue told commissioners he and staff estimate a dedicated morgue facility could cost on the order of $3 million to $4 million to construct, but the $100,000 requested this year would pay for an owner's representative, selection of an architectural firm, and site and design work.

Commissioners asked how far the $100,000 would go. Blue answered that the amount would cover the owner's representative, selection process for the architect, and the architecture and site-plan work needed this year, but that a larger county funding request would likely follow in the next fiscal cycle for construction.

No formal action was taken at the meeting on Blue's request; the coroner presented the request as public comment during the general public-comment period.

Speakers

Dr. Brent Blue, Teton County Coroner (public official)

Clarifying details

- Current reported annual deaths: county average increased from about 30 to close to 50 per year since Dr. Blue took office.
- Funding requested for planning in current year: $100,000, quoted by the coroner as the amount needed to continue owner's rep and design/site planning.
- Estimated future construction cost: "somewhere in the $3 to $4,000,000 range" per the coroner.

Context

Commissioners thanked Blue for his presentation and asked clarifying questions about scope and prior budget allocations. Blue said the earlier budget included money that "got dropped off," and that staff had been advised about a $100,000 figure for this year's planning; he indicated the county would seek a fuller construction appropriation in a future budget.

Provenance

{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"block_90","local_start":0,"local_end":240,"evidence_excerpt":"Chairman Newcomb and commissioners, I'm Doctor. Brent Blue, Teton County coroner and I'm here to ask for money. Everybody comes to ask for money. Societies are judged a lot by how they care for their dead, and we're not doing a good job. Our morgue is in the old weed and pest department's 2 car garage, And we've upgraded it, since I took office 10 years ago.","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"block_198","local_start":0,"local_end":200,"evidence_excerpt":"But, at this point, we need a $100,000 for this year in order to get the planning started. And I'll entertain any questions that people might have.","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}