COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Office of the Coroner

 

DATE:

February 8, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 7, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Robert J. Foucrault, Coroner

SUBJECT:

Adoption of County Ordinance codifying the Powers and Duties of the Office of the Coroner and setting Coroner Fees

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

Adopt the proposed County Ordinance adding Chapter 2.49, Office of the Coroner, to the San Mateo County Ordinance Code, which codifies and outlines the general duties and powers of the Coroner, and establishes fees for the Coroner’s office.

 

VISION ALIGNMENT:

 

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all

 

Goals 7 and 20: Maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors; and Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.

 

Adoption of this Ordinance contributes to these goals by codifying for public view the powers and duties of the Coroner’s Office and the Coroner’s Office fee schedule

 

BACKGROUND:

 

In 1976, the Board of Supervisors declared via County Ordinance code that County departments be organized in an efficient and responsible manner, in order to achieve the greatest benefits and accountability to the people of San Mateo County at the least expense. The powers and duties of some of the County departments were described and published in the Ordinance Code at that time. Although the Coroner’s Office was declared to be among those departments, no summary of general duties and powers was ever created or published.

 

The proposed ordinance formally enumerates the powers and duties of the County Coroner in order to maximize public accountability, and to provide more completeness to the County Ordinance Code.

 

In addition, tight budget times and a desire to ensure and maintain the highest level of service have led to a proposed restructure of the existing fees charged as outlined in County Ordinance 04218 to more closely reflect and recover actual costs. The Coroner’s Office fee structure was updated July 1, 2003 and August 1, 2004. Prior to these adjustments, the fees had remained unchanged since August 1994. Due to the nine-year lapse of time between adjustments, the fees were not fully adjusted to reflect actual costs.

 

DISCUSSION:

 

Previously, the Coroner’s fee schedule was enacted as an uncodified ordinance. The current fee schedule is being published as an Ordinance Code provision in order to maximize the public awareness of the fees charged by the Coroner. Codification and formal publication of the Coroner’s powers and duties and Coroner’s fee schedule in the Ordinance Code will make certain that the public has this awareness.

 

Upon authorization of the Board of Supervisors and pursuant to Government Code Sections 27471, 27472 & 54985, the Coroner may establish a reasonable fee or a maximum charge for certain services and conditions. The Coroner’s Office has studied and surveyed the fees charged for similar services in the surrounding counties.

 

The Coroner’s Office is proposing the attached changes to the fee structure in order to prevent the fee schedule from falling further behind, and to more closely align the current fee structure with current actual costs

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

A projected increase of $10,000 in revenue will help to offset increases in salary and benefits this fiscal year.