HomeMy WebLinkAboutord1993-055WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL
NO 93 -219A
CLEARANCES
Initial
Date
Date Received in Council Office:
Agenda date
Assigned to.
jnator. Executive
6 -22 -93
_
6 -22 -93
Finance /Council
Division Head:
Dept Head:
Prosecutor.
Purchasing /Budget:
Executive:
SUBJECT.•
Emergency Ordinance to establish responsibility for burial of indigent remains.
ATTACHMENTS:
Proposed ordinance
SUMMARY STATEMENT.- Please complete sections of box as appropriate & explain the item below.
Related County contract #:
Should Clerk schedule a hearing? NO x YES Requested date:
Amount budgeted for this item /project: $ - 0 -
Is it or will it be within budget? YES NO x Please explain below
Budget line item number(s): n a No budget amount has been provided for at this time.
ThP state Legislature, in this last session, has determined that the Department of Social and Health Services will
r )nger be paying for burial of indigent remains as of June 30th this year, so the burden falls back to the
county. The County Executive Office was notified of this fact on June 4th, 1993. This proposed emergency
ordinance allows the County to cremate those remains that are indigent and unclaimed by family, church
organizations and /or friends. This proposal is a minimalist approach compared with the State Department of
Social and Health Services that was providing burials and services for most of those applying without careful
screening. The total State cost for Whatcom County approaches $75,000 for a twelve month period. Most all
of those cases involved claimed bodies, so we project a significantly lower cost for the county program . as
recommended.
ORIGINATOR'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Pass as recommended.
COMMITTEE ACTION TAKEN.-
COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN.•
6/22/93: Adopted unanimously
Related File Numbers. Ordinance or Resolution. Number (this item only): 093 -055
IndRem.ord INTRODUCED BY: consent
PROPOSED BY: Executive
DATE: June 17, 1993
1 ORDINANCE NO. 93 -055
2 AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING COUN'T'Y
3 RESPONSIBILITY FOR DISPOSITION
4 OF INDIGENT HUMAN REMAINS
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6
7 WHEREAS, RCW 36.39.030 requires the county legislative authority.to "provide
8 for the disposition of the remains of any indigent person ... who dies within the county and
9 whose body is unclaimed by relatives or church organizations "; and
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11 WHEREAS, the State of Washington, Department of Social and Health Services,
12 previously provided and paid for such disposition prior to July 1, 1993 so as to preclude
13 the need for the county to make such provision; and
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15 WHEREAS, the State has declined to continue to provide such services; and
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17 WHEREAS, an emergency exists, since the State will no longer be providing
18 payment for disposition of remains for an indigent person as of June 30, 1993, and as of
that date the County is made responsible:
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21 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that
22 this emergency ordinance is hereby -enacted to provide for such services:
23
24 Section 1. ADMINISTRATION OF ORDINANCE - The County Medical Examiner, as
25 provided in RCW 68.50.010, shall have responsibility for accepting jurisdiction for the
26 remains of a person that are unclaimed by friends or relatives. Whenever friends, a
27 church organization or appropriate relatives, who have legal responsibility for disposing
28 of the remains, as identified in RCW 68.50.160, claim the body, Whatcom County will
29 not accept jurisdiction or financial responsibility for disposition.
30
31 Section 2. ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY - The County Medical Examiner,
32 with assistance from the County Sheriffs department and /or other law enforcement
33 agencies shall attempt to notify friends, relatives or religious organizations that may
34 desire to claim the remains of an unclaimed body and provide for disposition. If no
35 friends, relatives or church organization can be found to claim the body; the Medical
36 Examiner shall accept jurisdiction.
37
38 Section 3. PROVISION OF CREMATION AT COUNTY EXPENSE - The County
39 Medical Examiner, after accepting jurisdiction for indigent unclaimed human remains,
40 shall arrange for the transportation and cremation of such remains at county expense.
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IndRem.ord - page 2 -
Section 4. DISPOSITION OF REMAINS - The County Medical Examiner shall provide
for the disposition of the ashes of the cremated indigent remains in a common vault
designed for such or may release them to friends or relatives.
Section 5. PAYMENT FOR CREMATION OF REMAINS - Whenever the Medical
Examiner accepts jurisdiction of unclaimed indigent human remains and authorizes
cremation, the organization conducting the cremation shall bill the Medical Examiner,
who will approve the payment and forward the invoice to the County Auditor for warrant
preparation.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, this emergency ordinance will take effect on July 1st,
1993, in order to immediately protect public health, safety and welfare. This emergency
ordinance shall sunset on the 61st day after becoming effective.
ADOPTED this 22nd day of June , 1993.
ATTEST:
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk Marge aidlaw, Chair
APPROVED AS TO FORM
(Approved ( ) Denied
Shirley Van Z nten, E utive
Date: -23