Commissioners: New Coroner Facility Is Necessity

Crawford County commissioners said Nov. 17 that building a coroner facility is a necessity.

The commission had a closed session scheduled that morning to discuss real estate for the possibility of building said facility.

In the meantime, the county has struck a deal with Rolla Crematoriums and Eaton Funeral Home in Sullivan to provide storage.

It will cost the county $85 per day for each body.

This provides a temporary solution until something long-term can be figured out.

Commissioners are being forced to act quick with Coroner Paul Hutson set to leave office by the end of the year.

Hutson has used his own funeral home facilities at no cost to the county for the past 20-plus years.

Hutson chose not to run for re-election in 2020 and Deputy Coroner Darren Dake will take over the position.

How the county handles coroner facilities has been discussed as far back as 2017 and constructing a new facility was part of the commission’s promise to taxpayers when they asked for a sales tax increase in April 2018.

Dake approached the commission with plans for a new facility in July 2019. He proposed a facility that would provide space for an exam room, coolers and storage.

At the time, Dake told the commission that no other funeral homes in the area had interest in the same type of arrangement the county currently has with Hutson.

Dake, who was planning for his succession to the coroner role, enlisted the help of Sean Siebert of Cuba Development Group, Inc., which works closely with the city of Cuba.

Dake and Siebert asked the commission to consider a plot of land in Cuba’s industrial park.

However, the commission balked, saying the property wouldn’t work due to its terrain.

On Nov. 5, 2019, the commission was asked where that project stood and Sanders said it was “tabled.”

“Several people didn’t like that,” Sanders said.

The topic came up again in October 2020 when the county was offered a property in a residential area in Cuba, only to have those residents speak out against it.

The commission continues actively seeking a solution.

“We told taxpayers we would do it,” said District 2 Commissioner Jared Boast, saying the deal with Rolla Crematoriums and Eaton’s gives the county time to figure out a plan.