Commissioners to name forensic medical coroner and approve local death-investigator pay change

Miami County staff told commissioners they will place two related action items on the afternoon agenda: one to name Forensic Medical as the district coroner and deputy coroner under the existing contract, and a second to authorize local investigators to carry out death investigations in‑house as special deputy coroners. Lucas Mellinger, assistant county administrator, said state statute gives the most populous county in a judicial district the authority to appoint the district coroner; Forensic Medical has performed coroner services for the county since 2022. Cost and staffing rationale Brandon Ream, C‑shift battalion chief and the county's lead death investigator, provided a caseload summary and explained the county’s approach. Ream said the county decided to have trained lieutenants and battalion chiefs perform death investigations in‑house to reduce costs. "If we were to do that through forensic medical, it would be over $400 per death investigation," Mellinger said; Ream said the county had been paying investigators a monthly stipend (about $65) and staff proposed changing that to $100 per pay period. Why it matters: Mellinger and Ream said moving routine death investigations in‑house saves money and keeps investigative experience local. For homicides and other high‑complexity cases county staff said they would still call forensic medical investigators to ensure specialized expertise. Next steps and approvals Mellinger said the board will consider one resolution naming the coroner and deputy coroner and a second resolution naming the county's designated special deputy coroners. Brandon Ream indicated investigators would continue to shadow forensic medical personnel on homicides and severe cases. Ending The study session record shows the items will appear on the board’s afternoon agenda; no formal votes appear in the study-session transcript.