DATE: May 7, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: John Zanoni, Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator
Lisa A. Smittcamp, District Attorney
SUBJECT: First Amendment to Master Agreement for Coroner Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a First Amendment to Master Agreement No. A-24-014 adding Dr. Kelly Kobylanski, DO to the Agreement, reducing the insurance requirements for Forensic Pathologists with no employees, and increasing the maximum by $500,000 to a total of $2,500,000, with no change to the term of January 9, 2024 through January 8, 2029.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The Master Agreement, approved by your Board on January 9, 2024, allows continued Postmortem Autopsies and External Examinations for the Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office for case review, research, and other preparations for trial, and pretrial conferences with attorneys on cases that require testimony, as requested from the County, by certified Forensic Pathologists. The Master Agreement approved two Forensic Pathologists: Thomas L. Bennett, MD and Dr. Christopher Bradley Happy. Approval of the recommended action will amend the Master Agreement to add Dr. Kobylanski, increase the Agreement maximum compensation total to $2,500,000 and lower the insurance requirements if a forensic pathologist has no employees. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, Dr. Kobylanski will not be added to the agreement, causing a delay for Postmortem Autopsies and External Examinations for the Sheriff’s Office, the maximum total will not be increased, and the insurance requirements will not change.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The recommended action will increase the maximum compensation by $500,000, to a total of $2,500,000, to cover the remaining agreement term. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues for the additional costs are included in the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator’s FY 2023-24 Org 3111 Adopted Budget. There are currently no pending invoices. Costs for additional years will be included in subsequent requested budgets.
DISCUSSION:
On January 9, 2024, your Board approved the Master Agreement for Postmortem Autopsies and External Examinations for the Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office for case review, research, and other preparations for trial, and pretrial conferences with attorneys on cases that require testimony. The Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office now return to your Board to request approval to add Dr. Kobylanski to the Master Agreement, increase the maximum by $500,000 to a total of $2,500,000 and reduce the insurance requirements from the standard County requirements for the forensic pathologists on the agreement who have no employees.
Approval of the recommended action will amend the Master Agreement to now include three Forensic Pathologists as follows:
1. Thomas L. Bennett, MD
2. Dr. Christopher Bradley Happy
3. Kelly Kobylanski, DO
The Sheriff’s Office utilizes the Forensic Pathologists for Postmortem Autopsies and External Examinations, and the District Attorney’s Office utilizes the Forensic Pathologists for case review, research, and other preparations for trial, and pretrial conferences with attorneys on cases that require testimony.
The recommended action will also allow the Forensic Pathologists to have lower commercial general liability insurance requirements, from $2,000,000 per occurrence to $1,000,000 per occurrence, if they have no employees.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #24, January 9, 2024
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - First Amendment to Master Agreement for Coroner Services
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai