The Baldwin County Coroner continues asking for a new, multi-million facility, saying that if nothing is done, the county could learn a lesson the hard way.
After more than two years of presenting a conceptual design to the Baldwin County Commission, no action has been taken on a new building. Some commissioners have voiced concerns over the high price tag.
Dr. Brian Pierce said his office is in desperate need of storage. At times, the office has used a portable morgue unit for added space. In another instance, a top-ranking employee had to work out of a storage closet in the back of the facility.
Pierce said the coroner's office caseload has been steadily increasing in line with the county's population growth. In 2010, there were 353 coroner cases. In 2024, there were 685 cases, up from 562 the year before. Projections show 750 cases this year and nearly 900 by 2030.
Pierce voiced concerns over the population and tourism growth. He asked his constituents to contact their county commissioner.
"Since taking office in 2019, my priority has always been to advance the Office of the Coroner," Pierce stated. "With the help of the Commission, I feel I have prepared the office for the future by acquiring a caring and knowledgeable staff. I have pushed for advanced training, so my staff would prepared for whatever happens to be called in, for the office to have the ability to comfort families on what is typically; an unexpected, tragic day of their life."
"While I understand the Coroner's Office is a small piece of the world, If it's your loved one, it is your Whole World," he continued.
"I have had sleepless nights and much frustration and concern," the coroner added. "Failure to prepare for the future will result in citizens and visitors to our County suffering hardships, becoming disillusioned with the process, and questioning the answers that they receive about the death of their loved ones. When Afterlife Care is seen as a priority, I know appropriate facilities will become a reality. I truly hope that the stimulus for change is not discovered in the aftermath of a catastrophe."
In case of mass fatalities, Pierce said his office is planning ahead with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) to be able to deploy a pop-up morgue capable of storing up to 12 bodies.
He said some mutual aid agreements with local funeral homes and mass fatality training are also in place.
The Commission recently approved $7.5 million for a new Baldwin County District Attorney building in Bay Minette to accommodate the county's new judges authorized in the 2023 legislative session.
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