The Greene County board of supervisors at their July 20 meeting approved quadrupling the fee the medical examiner receives.
Medical examiner Dr Robert Clemons told the board he has seen an increase in what his duties include, as well as the time each case takes, in the 10-plus years since he was first appointed as medical examiner. The fee per case was $100 then, and it was until Clemons spoke with the board. The board approved an increase to $400 per case, effective immediately.
The county medical examiner is appointed by the supervisors at their organizational meeting each January. Per Iowa Code, the medical examiner must be a licensed physician or osteopathic physician. The ME investigates deaths that are unexpected, suspicious, or affect the public interest, including violent deaths, deaths in custody, or unexplained deaths.
County attorney Thomas Laehn reported there are 66 pending criminal cases in the county. Assistant county attorney Laura Snider is now taking most of the new cases in anticipation of the end of Laehn’s term Dec. 31. Laehn is not seeking re-election as county attorney, but is instead running for US Senate as a Libertarian. As county attorney, he is the only Libertarian serving in an elected position in Iowa.
The supervisors approved hiring Megan Sheeder as fulltime assistant sheriff’s secretary at an annual salary of 447,500. The board also approved hiring Michelle McDowell as fulltime jailer at an annual salary of $45,000, with a $5,000 increase when she earns certification. The board approved change orders for the courthouse HVAC project totaling $21,617.
