Blair County commissioners voted Dec. 4 to accept Clear Creek Company’s withdrawal from decedent services and to award the remainder of the county’s decedent storage contract to second-place bidder Force Delivery Services for the period Dec. 4, 2025, through June 10, 2026.

The action followed a public comment from Blair County Coroner Ray Benton, who said Clear Creek initially sought to terminate both removal/transport and storage contracts but later sent a letter agreeing to honor storage until June 2026. Benton presented a packet of photographs and raised multiple concerns about the alternate vendor that had been next in line to receive the contract, describing the storage location as “located within a 3 car carport,” surrounded by junk vehicles, lacking working security cameras and temperature-warning systems and having been found outside acceptable temperature ranges for body storage. “I would not put my family nor would I want to put your family at this location,” Benton said.

Bill Ford of Force Delivery Services, identified in public comment, told commissioners that the prior facility had been a temporary COVID-era arrangement and that it had “served a purpose,” adding, “you’re gonna get what you pay for.” Commissioners discussed the history of the procurement and the county’s plans to speed up purchase of in-county storage coolers that had already been approved in the 2026 budget.

County staff clarified that the board was accepting Clear Creek’s withdrawal effective Dec. 3, 2025, and that the action before the board was limited to awarding the remainder of the storage contract (not removal/transport) to Force Delivery Services for the stated contract period. A commissioner noted the award was intended to be short term while in‑county storage capacity is brought online; the board approved the motions by voice vote.

The board’s formal actions on the item were: acceptance of Clear Creek Company’s contract withdrawal (effective Dec. 3, 2025) and awarding the remainder of the storage contract for decedents to Force Delivery Services for Dec. 4, 2025–June 10, 2026. The coroner had told commissioners he plans to rely on expedited county purchases of storage units to reduce reliance on outside vendors.