Cape County's indigent burial budget goes into red

The Cape Girardeau County Commission agreed to fund a new indigent burial Thursday that will put the budget for that county service $500 in the red for the year.

The county has historically granted $600 to cover expenses for residents who die without assets and who don't have family members who can provide the cost. A request July 12 took the $3,000 annual budget down to $100, and Thursday's request exhausted it.

The number of burials the county has paid for has increased sharply over the last decade. There have been six so far this year, up from a total of five last year and four in 2010. Between 2000 and 2005, there were just eight. County Coroner John Clifton said last week that there seems to be a greater hesitancy by family members or acquaintances to take on the cost.

The commissioners have been considering updating the county policy regarding the requests since last year. One option would be to limit funding to the cost of cremation, an estimated $350. Another would be to partner with other tax entities, such as the Senior Citizens Service Fund Board, who might provide funds when the deceased is over the age of 60.

When asked how to make up the deficit and continue provide for burials through the end of the year, Auditor Pete Frazier said that every county dollar is accounted for during the budgeting process and that there is no obvious fund from which to transfer the money. Associate Commissioner Paul Koeper said that there is routinely money available in county coffers at the end of the year that would have to make up the difference.

Koeper made a motion to approve the most recent request, with the agreement of Associate Commissioner Jay Purcell, at the traditional amount, saying he didn't feel comfortable refusing to help bury those residents who cannot afford it.

"I just feel we still need to take care of the citizens of the county in that respect," Koeper said.

In other business, a bid was awarded to St. Louis Auto Brokers of O'Fallon, Mo., for a used one-ton flatbed truck. The county will purchase a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado for $12,450 for the parks department.

A county resident asked for an update on appointments to the Cape County Board for Developmental Disabilities, which has three open seats. Koeper said the commission is reviewing applications and expecting to receive information from prospective candidates and will likely make appointment decisions "within the next month." Motions to appoint two candidates, Jeff Baer and Walt Wildman, were tabled July 2.

Commissioners reviewed an order by Gov. Jay Nixon to fly all flags at state and government offices at half-staff July 21 in memory of Spc. Sterling William Wyatt, 21, of Columbia, Mo., who died July 11 from a roadside bomb in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy was absent from proceedings Thursday.

salderman@semissourian.com

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