Genesee County legislative action to schedule a public hearing on a local law to compensate coroners for time spent on extraordinary cases is welcome news to Jeff McIntire, a recently retired county medical examiner who worked 260 hours following the tragic plane crash off Boyce Road in Corfu on Oct. 2.
The crash resulted in the deaths of prominent attorney Steve Barnes, the pilot, and his niece, Elizabeth Barnes, who also practiced law.
“I’m pleased,” said McIntire, speaking by phone from his new home in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he has relocated following his Nov. 15 resignation as a county coroner. “It is good to know that if it does happen again, some provision is in place to make sure the coroner will get paid appropriately.”
Legislators, at their regular meeting tonight via Zoom videoconferencing, voted in favor of setting the public hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 3 for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Old County Courthouse.
If passed, the law will enable lawmakers to consider additional pay for elected or appointed coroners for a fixed term – beyond a negotiated $100 stipend per case (deceased individual) – when a catastrophic event occurs.
County coroners also receive an annual stipend of $1,500 – paid throughout the year on regular paydays – but do not receive mileage reimbursement.
McIntire not only worked an inordinate number of hours during the plane crash investigation, but also lost wages as a result of not being able to work his regular job.
“As coroners, we understand that it’s not a job that you get into to make money, but on the other hand, this was a situation where wages were lost,” he said.
Apparently, legislators agree and have taken steps to instill some flexibility into future compensatory matters.
McIntire, who served more than five years as a county coroner, said he plans to submit his hours to Genesee County as the proposed law stipulates that “any coroner may submit a claim retroactively to Oct. 3, 2020, by a submittal in writing, which details the services rendered and the times and dates of the same.”
An emergency medical technician, McIntire said he is working as a full-time scuba instructor at his new residence in the Sunshine State.
County Republican Party leaders reportedly are seeking someone to replace McIntire. The other county coroners are Karen Lang, Tom Douglas and Adam Palumbo.
In other action, legislators:
-- Passed four amended resolutions relating to tax equalization tables, taxable assessed valuation tables, and tax warrants for the county’s towns and City of Batavia that slightly changed the figures due to a court-ordered assessment reduction on a parcel of land in the Town of Pembroke.
Deputy County Treasurer Kevin Andrews brought the matter to the board’s attention in time for amendments, avoiding the need to pass revised amendments at a future legislature meeting. He said that the court lowered the parcel in question’s assessment from $2.9 million to $2.6 million.
As amended, the taxes for the towns based on 2020 assessment rolls are as follows:
- Alabama, $1,726,593.76;
- Alexander, $2,134,938.83;
- Batavia, $7,460,274.92;
- Bergen, $2,821,306.39;
- Bethany, $1,664,249.96;
- Byron, $2,443,824.80;
- Darien, $3,257,061.47;
- Elba, $2,536,131.54;
- Le Roy, $5,788,202.93;
- Oakfield, $2,398,440.44;
- Pavilion, $2,040,817.01;
- Pembroke, $3,999,315.92;
- Stafford, $2,416,914.48;
- Total, $40,688,072.45.
The county’s share of the total amount collected for the 2021 tax year is $27,761,253.04.
The 2020 total was $39,419,355.44, with $27,734,757.10 being the County’s share.
The City of Batavia’s share of the tax levy for 2021 is $6,058,672.57, which is about $60,000 less than the 2020 tax levy.
-- As previously reported on The Batavian from a legislative committee meeting, gave formal approval to a local law setting salaries of the following county officers, effective Jan. 1:
- Commissioner of Elections (2), $49,761;
- Highway Superintendent, $115,110;
- Director of Real Property Tax Services, $66,385;
- Director of Human Resources, $80,050;
- Commissioner of Social Services, $89,319;
- Public Defender, $103,453;
- County Attorney, $127,845;
- County Clerk, $97,862.
Previous: Legislature proposes local law for discretionary coroner pay for catastrophic events
