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Agenda Item
ASR
Control 25-000652 |
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MEETING
DATE: |
09/23/25 |
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legal entity taking action: |
Board
of Supervisors |
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board of supervisors district(s): |
All
Districts |
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SUBMITTING Agency/Department: |
Sheriff-Coroner (Approved) |
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Department contact person(s): |
Brian
Wayt (714) 647-1803 |
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Noma
M. Crook (714) 834-6681 |
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Subject: Ordinance to Decrease Fee for
Coroner Body Removal and Keeping of Body
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ceo CONCUR |
County Counsel Review |
Clerk of the Board |
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Concur |
Approved
Ordinance to Form |
Public
Hearing |
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3
Votes Board Majority |
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Budgeted: Yes |
Current Year
Cost: See Financial
Impact Section |
Annual Cost: N/A |
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Staffing Impact: |
No |
# of Positions: |
Sole Source: N/A |
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Current Fiscal Year Revenue: See Financial
Impact Section
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Prior Board Action: 7/16/2013 #14, 1/8/2008 #9, 8/8/2006
#19, 2/25/2003 #49 |
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RECOMMENDED
ACTION(S):
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1. |
Conduct a public hearing. |
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2. |
Adopt revised fee for Coroner removal
and keeping of bodies from $318 to $313. |
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3. |
Adopt new Ordinance for Coroner Removal
and Keeping dead body for actual cost as authorized by Government Code 54985,
effective 30 days after adoption of the ordinance. |
SUMMARY:
The Sheriff-Coroner requests that a
public hearing be held and that an Ordinance be adopted by decreasing the fee
charged to recover the costs of removing and keeping dead bodies, from $318 to
$313, pursuant to Government Code Sections 27472 and 54985.
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION:
Government Code Section 27472
authorizes the Board of Supervisors to establish a fee of up to $100 to be
collected by the Sheriff-Coroner for removing a dead body from the place of
death and keeping the body until it is released to the person responsible for
its interment. Government Code Section 54985 authorizes and prescribes the
procedure for the Board to increase the amount of a fee at an amount higher
than the amount set in a statute as necessary to recover the actual cost of
providing the product or service for which the fee is levied. Therefore, the Board may adopt a fee for
removing and keeping dead bodies in an amount greater than that prescribed in
Government Code Section 27472, if the greater amount is necessary to recover
the actual costs of providing the service.
On November 5, 1991, the Board of
Supervisors adopted Ordinance 3844, which first established a fee for removal
of a dead body from the place of death, plus several fees for embalming. The
original fee amount was $119.
The table below details the history
of the fees for removing and keeping dead bodies.
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Board of Supervisors (Board) Approved |
Ordinance Number |
Fee |
Comments |
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2/25/03 |
Ordinance 03-010 |
$236 |
Board
repealed the provision for setting embalming fees, as the County no longer
provided this service, and increased the fee for removing and keeping a dead
body to $236. |
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8/8/06 |
Ordinance 06-007 |
$300 |
Board
adopted an increase in the fee for removing and keeping a dead body, to $300. |
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1/8/08 |
Ordinance 08-001 |
$318 |
Board
adopted another increase in the fee, to $318. |
On July 16, 2013, Sheriff presented
to the Board a proposed an increased fee of $371 but the recommended action
failed to pass.
A cost study was recently prepared
by Sheriff-Coroner staff to determine the actual cost to recover the removing
and keeping of dead bodies as authorized by Government Code Section 27472. The
2025 Sheriff-Coroner study shows that the time spent removing and keeping a
dead body was reduced and it has been determined that it is necessary to
decrease the fee from $318 to $313. This
amount reflects full cost recovery and includes salaries, benefits, services,
supplies and overhead. The fee also includes
the cost to the County for contracted body transportation services. The Auditor-Controller and CEO have reviewed
and approved the cost study and the new fee. It is estimated that the overall
decreased fee will result in $4,083 less revenue.
The Sheriff-Coroner requests that the
Board conduct a public hearing and adopt the ordinance decreasing the fee for
removal and keeping of dead bodies, as referenced in the Recommended
Action. The new fee will become
effective 30 days after adoption of the ordinance.
FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
The decrease in proposed fee will
result in full cost recovery of the costs of the removing and keeping dead
bodies. The decrease in fee will result in $4,083 loss in the projected revenue and will be included in the FY 2025-26 Budget for Budget
Control 060, Sheriff-Coroner and will also be part of the budgeting process for
future fiscal years.
STAFFING
IMPACT:
N/A
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment
A – Draft Ordinance
Attachment B – Government Code Section 27472
Attachment C – Government Code Section 54985
Attachment D – Fee Checklist and Cost Study
Attachment E – Notice of Public Hearing