Mahoning commissioner mulling moving coroner's office after odor complaints

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County officials are considering potential new locations for the county coroner’s office.

The subject arose during a discussion of morgue ventilation improvements at Oakhill Renaissance Place, where other building occupants have complained of odors emanating from the morgue when badly decomposed bodies are brought there.

The discussion occurred during a Thursday county commissioners’ staff meeting with Dr. Joseph Ohr, forensic pathologist and deputy coroner, and architect Tracie Kaglic.

County officials are considering moving the coroner’s office from Oakhill to either the Industrial Road site of the existing county dog pound after the pound moves away a year from now, or to a new freestanding building to be built on the 11-acre Meridian Road site, where the new dog shelter building will be built.

The Oakhill facility is “an old hospital morgue” with 1970s vintage equipment, Dr. Ohr noted.

“It would be an absolute dream to have a new modern facility” in a stand-alone building occupied only by the coroner’s office, if money is available for it, he said.

Such a building would offer more privacy and dignity for the deceased and their families, better preparedness for mass disasters, improved isolation of potential biohazards and a modern ventilation system, he explained.

Read more about the situation in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.