Laclede County Commission discusses office concerns with coroner

The Laclede County Commission discussed departmental concerns with Coroner Steve Murrell among other items during Wednesday’s meeting. Other business included discussion on bids for pest control and waste disposal, an Office of Emergency Management Surplus Command Trailer, and other items. The Record arrived during the later portion of bid discussion and thus missed early discussion before the coroner’s appointment arrived. County Clerk Linda Cansler later said that the Commission discussed the fate of the OEM Surplus Command Trailer. During Murrell’s appointment with the commission, he discussed his request for the Command Trailer, a question regarding the use of opioid settlement money for a toxicology grant, an opportunity for medicine disposal, and the sharing of a press release to local media. In his request for the trailer, Murrell said it would be useful to fulfill his office’s Mass Fatality planning and could still be used by other agencies as needed. Presiding Commissioner Randy Angst said regarding the grant that Murrell could submit a request for opioid settlement funds to be used for that purpose. Among the items the Coroner’s Office takes as evidence in death investigations is the deceased’s medication. Murrell proposed sending unexpired medication, which includes insulin, to Insulin for Life USA, a Florida-based organization that redistributes it. Murrell said that there is a significant amount of general medication currently at his office with a smaller amount of insulin. Additionally, this was the only organization that he contacted that would takes insulin and unsealed medication, asserting that in-state organizations had stricter guidelines. Murrell said he would require a small refrigerator to secure the insulin. Angst requested a count of insulin currently in storage before making a decision, and Western Commissioner Joe Wasmer agreed. Discussion of whether an existing refrigerator in the county’s possession would be suitable and what securement would be needed were also discussed. Eastern Commissioner Erik Lindsey asked for clarification regarding Coroner’s Office’s seizing of medication, and Murrell replied that medication on or in proximity to the deceased could be taken as evidence to determine the cause of death. Lindsey requested a copy of the coroner’s statutes regarding the seizure of evidence, and Murrell said he would provide them. For more on this story, see Saturday's LCR.