Commissioners approve autopsy money

June 24--In his first day on the job, former Odessa Police Department Captain Chuck Moad represented the medical examiner's office by asking for $185,000 more than was budgeted this year for autopsy services.

Moad, who was with OPD for 29 years and a human resources manager with the city of Midland after that, is the new chief investigator with the ME's office after Shirley Standefer left amid criticisms from District Attorney Bobby Bland.

The ME's office requested $145,000 to cover autopsy expenses, $35,000 to cover transport expenses and $5,000 to cover laboratory services. Ector County Judge Susan Redford and Commissioners Freddie Gardner, Dale Childers and Armando Rodriguez voted in favor of the budget amendment. Commissioner Greg Simmons was not present at the meeting.

"I don't like the numbers, but obviously there's nothing we can do about it," Childers said.

Redford said $20,000 of that money was for the exhumation of two bodies in March. The ME's office did not perform an autopsy after an accident in which Bland wanted to pursue murder charges.

Carroll Carpenter was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of intoxicated manslaughter in connection with the December wreck that killed two people.

Although he wasn't around for that chapter of the ME's office history, Moad acknowledged there will be some building and rebuilding of relationships between the office and other agencies.

Moad said he has a good relationship with Bland and also has worked with all the various law enforcement agencies in the area during his time at the police department.

With Monday being his first day on the job, Moad said he still has material to read through with standard operating procedures and job descriptions, which he said in the coming weeks will be discussed between he, Medical Examiner Dr. Anne Acreman and Redford.

"If we as a team can find ways to do things better, I'll be very proud of that," Moad said.

Commissioners also:

--Approved the annual county commissioners' road reports.

--Approved a resolution for the district attorney victim assistance grant for fiscal year 2015.

--Approved replacing the griddle at the Ector County Detention Center for $6,568, including installation.

--Tabled discussion on overtime compensation for additional after-hours work performed by Wanda Roberson in the absence of extension agents. Redford said she is not sure if Roberson's position is exempt and unable to receive overtime.

--Approved an interlocal agreement between the city of Odessa and Ector County for the 2014 Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program award.

--Approved the Texas Department of Transportation TIF program design criteria and specifications quality assurance requirements.

--Approved the TxDOT transportation investment fund program list of transportation infrastructure projects.

--Approved the consent agenda: Moved $500 from commissioners' court educational travel to office supplies; moved $4,250 from motor vehicle repairs/maintenance to equipment services fund/electricity and water/sewer/trash; and moved $750 from 70th District Court office supplies and postage to educational travel.

--Approved a $3,500 budget amendment to contract salaries and election income.

--Approved a $125,000 budget amendment to post sentence monitoring fees and contract services.

--Approved a budget amendment of $129,900 to capital projects fund contract services, $245,000 to operating transfers in, and $115,100 to unreserved fund balance.

--Approved a budget amendment of $352,100 to Coliseum capital improvement fund insurance proceeds and unreserved fund balance and $398,133 to capital improvement fund and reserve for general fund.

--Approved the accounts payable fund requirements report for June 23, 2014, and reviewed county financial statements and reports.

​Contact Jon Vanderlaan on twitter at @OAcourts, on Facebook at OA Jon Vanderlaan or call 432-333-7763.

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