To: Charles Winfrey, Human Services Committee Chairperson
From: Brian Hunter M.D.
title
RE: Approval of a purchase order to various vendors for the fiscal year ending 2026, in an amount not to exceed $200,000.00, to provide for scene investigations by Genesee County's Medical Examiner; the cost of this purchase order will be paid from account 1010-648.00-801.000
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Approve a total combined expenditure limit of $200,000.00 for all contracted scene investigators.
BACKGROUND:
In March 2025, the Medical Examiner’s Office transitioned from utilizing a third-party vendor for death scene investigation services to establishing direct contractual agreements with individual investigators. This change provided our office with greater oversight, flexibility, and cost control while supporting workforce continuity. To ensure adequate staffing, the office conducted targeted recruitment at local colleges, EMS agencies, and hospitals to attract qualified candidates with medical or emergency response experience. As a result, nine investigators are currently under contract with the County. Each agreement, approved through the County’s document review process, includes a maximum expenditure limit of $30,000.00.
DISCUSSION:
Scene investigators serve on an as-available, on-call basis, often supplementing their primary employment with investigative work for the Medical Examiner’s Office. Due to varying schedules and fluctuating case volumes, some investigators may approach or exceed the current $30,000 cap within a fiscal year, while others may perform fewer investigations. To maintain consistent and timely coverage for death investigations, the Medical Examiner’s Office requests approval of a combined expenditure limit of $200,000.00 for all investigator contracts. This adjustment will provide administrative flexibility to allocate funds according to workload demands and investigator availability, without exceeding the overall budgeted amount.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
None
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
None, Funds are already in budget, 1010-648.00-801.000 (Service Contracts)
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
None
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
None
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
One of the many ways the Medical Examiner’s Office can contribute to community growth is public Safety: One of the primary responsibilities of a Medical Examiner's Office is to investigate deaths that may be suspicious or criminal in nature. By conducting thorough investigations, providing accurate cause of death determinations, and collaborating with law enforcement agencies, the office helps maintain public safety. A safe community is attractive to residents, businesses, and investors, contributing to community growth and development.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Medical Examiner to authorize a combined expenditure amount of $200,000.00, to be paid from account 1010-648.00-801.000, for the nine contracted vendors who provide death scene investigations for Genesee County for the period commencing October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request being on file with the official records of the December 3, 2025 meeting of the Human Services Committee of this Board).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all other terms and conditions of existing contracts shall remain in effect unless modified in writing and approved in accordance with County procurement policies.