Work to Start Soon on Building for Starke County Coroner

starke-county-courthouseThe Starke County Coroner’s Office will soon have a permanent location. The county commissioners Thursday voted to hire Royal Star Builder to construct a pole barn-style structure with a poured concrete floor near the Starke County Jail for a cost of $35,000. The contractor agreed to pour the floor and lay the posts right away in case the weather turns bad. He advised the project should be complete by Dec. 1.

The 24x32x10 foot structure will be tall enough to accommodate any vehicles the coroner may use for body retrieval. The commissioners agreed it is the best option to meet the county’s needs. The structure will be located near the jail east of Knox and will be used for office space, viewing and body storage.

The need for space became an issue two years ago when a non-funeral director was elected coroner. The commissioners previously discussed several options and ultimately decided building a basic structure was the best.