Budget cuts are forcing reduction in services, coroner's office says

The coroner's office is closed Fridays.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Reduced office hours and lab tests being sent out once a month instead of weekly are some of the service reductions being made by the Trumbull County Coroner's Office because of budget cuts.
Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, the county's forensic pathologist, said the changes had to be made because of a 20-percent budget cut.
"We are no longer open on Friday afternoon," Dr. Germaniuk said. "If someone needs autopsy results on a Friday they will have to wait until Monday."
Trumbull County Coroner Ted Soboslay and his staff have asked the commissioners for more money but were "ignored," Dr. Germaniuk said.
The coroner's office budget is $347,393, county officials said.
'Do more with less'
We have received requests from other departments as well, but all departments, including the commissioners office, are having to learn to do more with less," said Tony Carson, county administrator. "Everyone has to learn to live within the budget."
Dr. Germaniuk says he understands that money is tight but it's important to maintain the quality of services.
"We can't schedule our cases," Dr. Germaniuk said. "People think that all we do all day is drive around and put toe tags on dead folk. Nothing could be further from the truth. By law, we have to investigate numerous cases every year. This is our job."
He added that often cases are complicated, and toxicology tests need to be performed to figure out what caused a person's death.
"We have to send the toxicology tests out to a lab," Dr. Germaniuk said. "Because of the budget cuts we can no longer send out on a weeky basis. We now have to send out once a month. This is very painful on an emotional level for family members who are looking for closure."
None of the commissioners could be reached to comment.
sinkovich@vindy.com