To: Charles Winfrey, Human Services Committee Chairperson
From: Brian C. Hunter, M.D.
title
RE: Approval of a combined expenditure limit and the associated purchase orders for the contracted death scene investigators of Genesee County's Medical Examiner's Office for fiscal year 26/27, in an amount not to exceed $200,000.00; the cost of these purchase orders will be paid from account 1010-648.00-801.000
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Approve a combined expenditure limit of $200,000.00 for all contracted scene investigators, and approve the individual purchase orders issued to each contracted investigator under that combined limit, to be paid from account 1010-648.00-801.000.
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, a team of investigators is currently under contract with the County. The current team of investigators include Dennis Knapp, Karen Woerner, Megan Brown, Bob Kachline, Danielle Zerka, Samantha German, Michael Caravaggio, and Megan Council. As the fiscal year progress, there may be additional individuals added to perform said services.
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 individual cap within a fiscal year, while others may perform fewer investigations. To maintain consistent an...
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