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Discussion Regarding District 5 and District 24 Medical Examiner Interlocal Agreement Pertaining to Seminole and Lake Counties Intent to Enter Into a Separate Interlocal Agreement From District 5 Counties Resulting in Reorganization of Medical Examiner Districts
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BRIEF OVERVIEW
Hernando, Citrus, Marion, Sumter and Lake Counties comprise Medical Examiner District 5. Seminole County is the sole member of Medical Examiner District 24. Districts 5 and 24 entered into an interlocal agreement (“ILA”) to share medical examiner costs and facilities. For several years, the District 5 and 24 Medical Examiner Advisory Committee has discussed building a new medical examiner facility to accommodate the needs of all the member counties.
At a meeting between the county attorney offices for all six counties, it came to light that Seminole County (District 24) and Lake County (part of District 5) want to terminate their membership in the ILA because they believe the cost-allocation scheme for the new medical examiner facility is unfair. They believe they can save on medical examiner facility costs if they enter into their own ILA. The Lake County BOCC has already approved the ILA between Seminole and Lake. Additionally, Seminole County will be requesting at the February 4, 2025, meeting of Florida’s Medical Examiner Commission that the two districts be reorganized so that Seminole and Lake counties are together in their own district. The two attached memoranda discuss the issue in more detail.
Some topics for discussion are: whether Lake and Seminole Counties can terminate their memberships in the Districts 5 and 24 Medical Examiner ILA; whether the reversion clause in the deed conveying the Leesburg Facility to Marion will be triggered in the event of termination; and how to proceed moving forward.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact.
LEGAL NOTE
The Board is authorized to act on this agenda item pursuant to ss. 163.01 and 125.01, Fla. Stat.
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board discuss the ramifications of Seminole and Lake counties’ actions regarding the Districts 5 and 24 Medical Examiner ILA.