Chapter 2.12
UNCLAIMED REMAINS
Sections:
2.12.010 Administration of provisions.
2.12.020 Unclaimed remains defined.
2.12.040 Recoupment of county expense.
2.12.010 Administration of provisions.
The Chelan County coroner shall have the primary responsibility for the administration of this resolution and is charged by statute with jurisdiction over the remains of the deceased persons within Chelan County. (Res. 93-100 § 1, 8/16/93).
2.12.020 Unclaimed remains defined.
Unclaimed remains are the remains of a person who has died in Chelan County having no known relatives. (Res. 93-100 § 2, 8/16/93).
2.12.030 Responsibility.
(a) Any funeral director in possession of unclaimed remains as defined by this chapter who has provided services for said person shall notify the Chelan County coroner. Upon receipt of such notice the coroner shall confirm that the deceased has no known relatives and, shall further confirm that no religious or fraternal organization, nor any friend or interested party is willing to assume responsibility for disposition of the remains of the deceased.
(b) The coroner, after such inquiry as described above, may accept responsibility on behalf of the county for the disposition of unclaimed remains, and shall provide for payment to the funeral director rendering such services as follows:
(1) Fifty-five dollars for transportation of the remains for the first ten miles plus one dollar twenty-five cents per mile for any transportation of the body over ten miles from the site of death to the morgue or funeral home;
(2) Two hundred dollars for professional services and cremation plus one dollar twenty-five cents per mile for transportation of the unclaimed remains from the morgue or funeral home to the crematory;
(3) Pursuant to state statute after cremation the crematory shall hold the ashes of the deceased for two years as provided by law, however, the coroner may make provision to take custody of such ashes prior to the expiration of the two-year period at his discretion. Chelan County agrees to tender to the city of Wenatchee six hundred dollars for the cost of construction of a vault to house the ashes of unclaimed remains after the expiration of the two-year period as provided above.
(4) Chelan County agrees to pay the city of Wenatchee fifty dollars each time the cemetery vault is opened and closed whether for one unclaimed cremains or for multiple cremains. This payment will also cover any record keeping for the vault.
(5) Chelan County agrees to pay the city of Wenatchee the present two hundred ten dollar fee for endowment care and liner for in-ground interment of any unclaimed body remains deemed not approved for cremation by the coroner or the prosecutor. Chelan County agrees to pay for any additional costs which may be incurred, such as exhuming a body per request of the coroner or prosecutor.
(c) The Chelan County coroner and the Chelan County prosecuting attorney are authorized to deviate from this procedure and provide for the burial of unclaimed remains without cremation if circumstances so warrant. (Res. 93-100 §§ 3—5, 8/16/93).
2.12.040 Recoupment of county expense.
The Chelan County prosecuting attorney is authorized and requested to pursue recoupment of county expense in such cases where such effort appears to be cost effective. (Res. 93-100 § 6 (part), 8/16/93).
2.12.050 Appeals.
Any person aggrieved by a decision made by the Chelan County coroner to deny payment for the disposition of unclaimed remains pursuant to this statute shall have a right to petition the Chelan County commissioners for an opportunity to be heard at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Chelan County commission, and the commissioners may, after hearing from the aggrieved party and the coroner take such further action as they deem fit under the circumstances. (Res. 93-100 § 6 (part), 8/16/93).