HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 95-015-CCBOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Grant County, Washington
A RESOLUTION AMENDING GRANT )
COUNTY'S POLICY REGARDING THE )
DISPOSITION OF UNCLAIMED )
INDIGENT REMAINS )
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RESOLUTION NO. 95 -15 -CC
WHEREAS, RCW 36.39.030 requires the county legislative authority to ". . .
provide for the disposition of the remains of any indigent person . . . who dies within
the county and whose body is unclaimed by relatives or church organization;" and
WHEREAS, RCW 68.52.030 authorizes a county to provide certain disposition
services when the surviving spouse, surviving parents or surviving adult children
of the deceased are financially unable to make such provisions; and
WHEREAS, the State of Washington, Department of Social and Health Services,
(the "State") previously provided and paid for disposition of the remains of indigent
persons prior to July 1, 1993, so as to preclude the need for Grant County (the
"County") to make such provision; and
WHEREAS, the State has declined to continue to provide such services,
effective July 1, 1993; and
WHEREAS, the County is undergoing constant and increased pressures on its
limited fiscal resources, to provide important government social services to the
living, including criminal justice services, which prompt the policy choices set forth
hereinafter; and
WHEREAS, the County desires to make the wisest use of its limited fiscal
resources; and
WHEREAS, the County has previously established a policy regarding the
disposition of unclaimed indigent remains in Grant County Resolution No. 93-79; and
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WHEREAS, the Grant County Coroner (Coroner) has proposed changes to the
existing policy regarding the disposition of unclaimed indigent remains in Grant
County based on the application of the existing policy; and
WHEREAS, the County desires to implement the recommendations of the
Coroner and improve the existing policy regarding the disposition of unclaimed
indigent remains in Grant County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Grant County Board of
Commissioners (the "Commissioners") hereby amend the existing policy regarding
the disposition of unclaimed indigent remains in Grant County, as set forth herein,
to provide for the disposition of the remains of unclaimed indigent persons, where
eligibility is established:
POLICY
I. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this resolution, the following words and phases used herein shall
have the designated meaning unless a different meaning is expressly provided:
(a) "Indigent Deceased" means individuals who have died and for whom
sufficient assets to cover the cost of disposition of the remains cannot be located.
(b) "Unclaimed by relatives or church organizations" means deceased
individuals having no known relatives as set forth in RCW 68.50.160, or as amended
hereafter, or church organization, claiming the decedent's remains for disposition.
II. ADMINISTRATION.
The Coroner shall have the primary responsibility for the administration of this
Resolution and shall report to the Commissioners periodically on instances suggesting
the need for clarification or revision of the procedures specified by this Resolution.
The County Auditor, Sheriff and Prosecuting Attorney shall assist the Coroner in the
discharge of the County's responsibilities under this policy.
III. APPLICATION.
Any person in possession of unclaimed human remains and any person who sees
human remains under circumstances suggesting that no one has assumed
responsibility for them shall notify the County Coroner. If the person reporting has
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custody of the remains, that person shall complete the form designed and made
available by the Coroner to the best of that person's ability and provide it to the
Coroner.
The County will not fund funeral or memorial services, or any other funeral services
not enumerated herein.
IV. NOTIFICATION TO POTENTIALLY INTERESTED PARTIES.
The Coroner shall, upon receipt of the subject application, attempt to notify the
surviving spouse, surviving adult child(ren) and/or surviving parent (s) of the
deceased and any other known surviving relative(s), friend(s) or religious
organization that may desire to claim the remains and provide for disposition of same.
V. ACCEPTANCE OF COUNTY RESPONSIBILITY.
The Coroner will accept responsibility on behalf of the County for the disposal of the
indigent remains after eligibility has been determined, utilizing the following criteria:
A. The decedent must have died in Grant County;
B. The decedent must have been indigent at the time of death; and
C. The remains must be unclaimed.
An exception may be authorized by a Commissioner, where the Coroner determines
that burial of the remains is necessary, due to extenuating circumstances, including
those surrounding the death.
The Coroner shall, after appropriate inquiry, and being unable to find any person
obligated and financially able, or any other person or religious organization, willing
to provide for the disposition of the body of the deceased, proceed to dispose of the
remains and indicate, on the disposition portion of the form, that this has been done
and whether or not an exception to the County policy on disposition has been
approved by a Commissioner, or requested by a County official authorized to do so.
VI. PROVISION OF SERVICES AT COUNTY EXPENSE.
The Coroner shall, after acceptance of County responsibility to dispose of the
remains, arrange for the transportation and cremation of the remains, or for such
exceptional disposition as may have been authorized pursuant to this Resolution.
Transportation shall be provided by the Coroner or the entity providing services to
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the County, and disposition by the entity or entities who have previously agreed to
provide these services to the County for a specified fee.
VII. DISPOSITION OF REMAINS.
A. Cremation: The Coroner may make the ashes of the deceased available to
relatives or friends of the deceased who wish to conduct a memorial service for the
deceased or to dispose of the ashes. Ashes not disposed of in this manner shall
remain under the jurisdiction of the Coroner for one (1) year after receipt and,
thereafter, to be interred or distributed pursuant to applicable statutes and County
policies in force at the time.
B. Interred Remains: The County will inter remains, where burial as an
exception to this Policy is approved by a Commissioner, and release interred remains
pursuant to applicable statutes and County policies in force at the time.
C. Payment Of Costs Incurred: The entity providing the services approved
pursuant to this Resolution shall complete the "application for payment" portion of
the form, attach an invoice specifying the services provided and submit the same to
the Coroner for processing with other claims pursuant to County policies in force at
the time.
VIII. RECOUPMENT OF COUNTY EXPENSES.
The County Prosecuting Attorney is authorized and requested to pursue recoupment
of County expenses in cases where such effort appears to be cost effective.
IX. INTERPRETATION AND ADMINISTRATION.
The Coroner will be presented with cases which do not, for any of a number of
possible reasons, fall squarely within the process provided for by this Resolution.
In such instances, the Coroner shall exercise discretion consistent with the intent
of this resolution that the County: a) fairly meet its statutory obligation; b) with
minimum expenditure of funds badly needed for other important governmental
services; c) for cases where the statutory eligibility for service is clear; and d)
where a reasonable effort to locate and notify relatives and/or religious organizations
who may wish to assume the responsibility has been made within the constraints
requiring promptness in disposition of the remains.
Anyone aggrieved by a decision of the Coroner may petition the Commissioners in
writing for an opportunity to be heard within three (3) working days of the Coroner's
decision, and the Commissioners may, after hearing from the grievant and the
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Coroner, take such further action as they deem fit under the circumstances. The
Coroner is encouraged to report cases suggesting a need for the modification of the
policy embodied in this Resolution.
X. EFFECTIVE DATE. This policy, as amended, shall take effect on February 13,
1995.
DATED this�3 day of February, 1995.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
GRANT COUNTY WASHINGTON
Tim S)iea. C air
Helen Fan -cher, Member
LeRoy . Allison,
A ST:
Clerk o1WBoard
APP V TO
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