2.6 Consider and discuss bill for^ corpse transportation to and
fr^om the Travis Co~_inty Medical Examiner's Office for•
autopsies. (J.F'.#4)
ORDER N0. 25343
APPROVRL OF COUNTY RUDITOR TO GO OUT FOR RIDS
ON TRANSPORTATION OF CDRF'SES TO RUSTIN FOR AUTOPSIES
On this day the 26th day of May, 1998 ~_ipon motion made by
Commissioner Lackey, seconded by Commissioner Oehler, the
Co~_ir•t unanimously approved by a vote of 4-0-0, the Co~.inty
Auditor to go out for bids of transportation for• corpses to
Rustin for• autopsies.
2.7 Consider and disc~_iss water softener for• Law Enfor^cement
Facility. (Maintenance S~_iper•visor•)
Discussion Only. It was passed on until Maintenance
Supervisor could obtain more information on the exact
problem/solution for• the water system at the Law Enforcement
Facility.
2.8 Consider and discuss appointment of appropriate signatory
for^ permit to hold firewor^ks show on Fourth of July. (Co~_~nty
Judge)
ORDER N0. 25344
RPPROVRL TD RPp'OINT RDWRN ZACHRRY R5 THE RPF'ROPRIATE
SIGNRTORY FOR PERMIT TO HOLD FIREWORI'.S SHOW ON FOURTH OF JULY
On this day the 26th day of May, 1998 ~_~pon motion made by
Commissioner Letz, seconded by Commissioner Paldwin, the Court
unanimously approved by a vote of 4-0-0, to appoint Rowan
Zachary as the appropriate signator^y for• permit to hold
fir^ewor•ks show on the Four^th of J~.ily.
PRGE 656
~~ ~, 25343
ao
County ~'toY to
A1~PYOValb ds On
rnit foz tion Of
rta
coxps~ fo autol~yes
Aust~
NNlay 26 r 1998
Page 656
Vol V
C1FiT)I::.f~ hl(:)., r".::?:`:i:3/e::i
Af~'f='fiDVAI... DI"' (;Dllhl'T'Y Fll.lbl:'T'DR TC.l [:iD (]UT 1=C)fi £t:I:T)S
Dhl 'T'fi(dNE3F'(:)Fi'T'Fal']:Dhl Df-' C;Df2F'sf:S TD ldlJS'r:Lhl f"(:11 f-ll.l'T'(:)1='5:LI`Si
Ch} th:i.=i day t:hea 2.C,th rlcay oi' May., 1'i3':)fl Capon mut::i.on made by
C.)Omn5:1.!n!ii :1.f71}er L..aCf:.f±yq Eiec'f:11}d erl I:)y ~'. f:llflmlF.i3 a. f:)1}(~_`'f` Deha. e'f`y tl'le
Cot.rrt: ut}at}zmou>ly approved by a vote of 4_g-0, ~tl}e> Co!.u}ty
61t.u:l:i.tcar •t:c:~ rao c:~r.ct: for I:~i.cl!:> c:~•P i:r<in<.:>I:~or~L-cata.an •Fc>•r aor•I:~=_>e~> t:o
Fal.Uiit:L l} '('(Tf` al.C~:0 f1S5:L e!i>>.
WILLIAM E. RAGSDALE
Justice of the Peace
PRECINCT 4 • KERB COUNTY
116 STATE HIGHWAY 27 WEST
INGRAM, TEXAS 78028
(210)367-2245
April 30, 1998
Hon. Robert Denson, County Judge
Kerr County
Kerr County Courthouse
700 Main Street
Kerrville Texas 78028
~'9~

. ~ ~";~~
~~ ,~>
~,~e
In Re: Billing for transportation of bodies to and from the
Travis County Medical Examiner's Office for autopsies
ordered pursuant to Chapter. 49 Texas CCP.
Dear Sir:
You are aware the Justices of the
act as coroners and hold inquests when
when autopsies are deemed necessary by
the decedent body to be transported by
charge of the body to Austin for those
performed by the Travis County M.E.
Peace in our county
required. Further,
the coroner, we cause
the funeral home in
services to be
There has never been any problem with this process
until I noticed a recent billing by the Kerrville Funeral
Home for over $300.00. To the best of my knowledge, I had
never approved any billing for greater than $200.00. I have
canvassed all of the funeral homes and found the following:
Grimes has charged $180.00, Overby has charged $200.00,
Sizemore from $125.00 to $260.00, and I have been informed
that Hill Country Mortuary Services charges $1 per mile (or
$200.00).
I believe it may be time to establish a standard that is
beneficial to all. We (the County) need only to transfer a
decedent body to and from the M.E.'s office. This may be
accomplished many different ways.
(1) Make a contract with a funeral home or Hill Country
Mortuary Services to do all transfers paying no more than
$200.00
(2) Use a county employee and county vehicle to do all
transfers (must be available any day)
(3) Not calling on funeral homes to pick up bodies that need
autopsy transfer that do not agree to accept $200.00.
(4) Contract with only one funeral home to pick up bodies
when there is no preference by the family.
page two
(5) If a funeral home has picked up a body at a families
request a service provider of our designation will pick
up the body at the mortuary and transfer for the County.
There is a legitimate problem that some of the funeral
homes have mentioned. On occasion they have been required,
through no fault of their own, to wait upward of three to
four hours for the autopsy to be performed. If this should
occur I believe that in addition to the base of $200.00 the
funeral home or service should be paid an additional $15.00
per hour fee not to exceed two hours (addition}. The base fee
of $200.00 should include the first two hors of waiting.
This waiting problem should not occur often as all
autopsies are on an appointment basis. Should they have to
wait they should be compensated.
I believe that without standardization there will be
problems. We have seen a difference of $195.00. Since the
county pays $600.00 for indigent services there should be no
problem with $200.00 transfer fee. The only funeral home I
have spoken to that had a problem with that fee was Kerrville
Funeral Home.
Paying the bill is a court responsibility. I have
conferred with the J.P 2 and 3 and we agree that $200.00 is
sufficient payment for the service provided. The method is
up to court.
'ncere
William E. Rags ale