RISON - County Coroner Chuck Valentine told the Cleveland County Quorum Court that the Arkansas State Crime Lab is providing the county with a three door cooler to store the bodies of the deceased, but the county will be responsible for finding a building to put it in.
The cooler will essentially serve as a morgue when the need arises. Valentine said the value of the cooler is between $7,500 and $8,500.
Before the county can take delivery, however, it will first have to decide where to put it. Valentine provided the quorum court with some building options, ranging from shipping containers to portable buildings.
Valentine said Wesley Cole with Cole-Buie Funeral Home at Rison has offered to let the county put the building on a concrete slab behind the funeral home. While the county would be responsible for connecting the electricity to the building, Valentine said Cole has agreed to pay the monthly electrical bill once it is put in place.
One issue with the building is having a door large enough to accommodate the cooler. Valentine said it has to be at least 78 inches tall and about 44 inches wide. If the county decides to go with a portable storage building, he said the door opening would have to be custom built. The justices on the quorum court seemed to prefer the shipping container based on the door requirements and the overall space.
Valentine gave the quorum court quotes on 10- and 20-foot containers. Justice of the Peace Donnie Herring suggested going with the 20-foot so the extra space could be used for storing the coroner’s files and supplies.
During the discussion, Justice Melody Spears p0inted out that the county will need to see if the insurance company will cover a structure and equipment that is no on county property.
Ultimately, the quorum court decided to table the matter until next month. Valentine was asked to get a price on having the electricity installed to the building and also check on the insurance question.
Grant Writer
Josh Meyer, de…