Aiken County Council will look today at lifting its hold on the Coroner's Office 2014-15 budget line item designated for the transportation and pickup of the deceased in Aiken County.
The 7 p.m. meeting is open to the public in the Aiken County Government Center's Council Chambers, 1930 University Parkway.
The roughly $50,000 budget line item was frozen last year by County Council, affecting Langley-based company Rucker Removal Services, which was tasked for more than two decades to pick up and transport the deceased in Aiken County for the Coroner's Office.
The Coroner's Office typically utilizes a transportation and removal service in the case of a sudden or unexpected death, suicide, homicide or fatal accident.
Those services were always performed by Rucker - a company verbally "contracted" with before Coroner Tim Carlton was elected into office.
On May 15, Rucker ceased its services in Aiken County citing the company had not received about $40,000 in payment for services since April 2014.
Since then, the County has gone back and forth with Carlton over what company should be tasked with the pickup and transport of the deceased.
Council agreed in mid-January 2014 to award a contract for transportation and removal services to low-bidder Palmetto Mortuary Transport.
The Palmetto contract was never executed; and Carlton continued to use Rucker, who came in with a bid of $175 per each local body removal to Palmetto's $160.
The issue escalated to where Carlton filed a complaint against Aiken County last year, alleging the County "interfered" with the operation of his office.
Carlton's Charleston-based attorney Sandy Senn asked a judge in May for an emergency ruling compelling the County to pay Rucker for its services and allow Carlton to continue to use Rucker until a formal hearing is scheduled.
Circuit Court Judge James Barber ruled there would be no need to hand down an emergency injunction requiring the County to pay for a transport and removal service, stating the coroner could always use Palmetto to continue the specialized services.
Barber also denied a request from Carlton to order Council to appropriate funds to be placed in a contingency account to pay the outstanding balance to Rucker.
Carlton has since contracted with Palmetto for services in Aiken County. If Council unfreezes the budget funds, the County will use a portion of those funds to pay Palmetto for work done in June.
In other business, Council is expected to vote on:
- The second reading of the fiscal year 2015-16 budget. Council members will also hold a public budget work session following their regular meeting.
- Whether to authorize the acceptance of Augusta-based firm Toole Engineers Inc. as the design engineer for engineering and architectural services regarding the planning, design, permitting and services of the Langley pond finish line tower.
Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter with Aiken Standard.
Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.