§45-8-60.01. Salary and expense allowance; assistant coroners.

(a) This section shall apply only to Calhoun County.

(b)(1) After May 6, 2009, the coroner shall continue to receive the salary and expense allowances the coroner is receiving on May 6, 2009, subject to any adjustments as further provided herein.

(2) Commencing June 1, 2009, the coroner shall receive an expense allowance in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000) per annum payable in equal bi-weekly installments as provided in subsection (d).

(3) At the beginning of the next term of office of the coroner, the annual salary for the coroner shall be increased by five thousand dollars ($5,000) per annum, and the expense allowance provided for in subdivision (2) shall become void.

(c) Commencing on May 6, 2009, there shall be no more than two compensated assistant coroners. The compensation of a compensated assistant coroner shall be in the form of a salary of four thousand eight hundred dollars ($4,800) annually.

(d) Any salary or expense allowances provided pursuant to this section shall be paid bi-weekly out of the general fund of the county at the same time as county employees are paid.

(e) The county commission may, in addition to the expense allowances already provided by law, provide additional funds to pay the necessary expenses to provide for the operation of the office of the coroner.

(f)(1)a. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph b., commencing on June 1, 2009, the coroner shall receive the same uniform increases in compensation, including cost-of-living increases, longevity increases, merit raises, and bonuses that are granted to county employees by the county commission at the time of the approval of the county budget. The increases shall be in the same amount or percentage, as the case may be, as that amount or percentage increase provided to the employees of the county.

b. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, longevity increases for the incumbent coroner shall be due and payable commencing January 6, 2010.

c. If the implementation of any cost-of-living adjustment increases the salary of an incumbent coroner, the increase shall be paid as provided in subdivision (3). The base compensation for the purpose of implementing this subsection shall be that compensation established on June 1, 2009, and shall remain that amount unless increased as provided by general or local law applicable to the coroner.

d. Longevity increases of the coroner shall be based on the average of longevity increases of all county employees as shown on county pay scales, as determined by the county commission. Longevity increases for the coroner shall be based on the coroner's most recent period of continuous, uninterrupted service as the coroner. The coroner shall be entitled to receive longevity increases for up to the same number of years as a county employee is entitled to receive increases. Past service as a county employee shall not be counted in determining the number of years a coroner may receive longevity increases. Compensation increases provided for in this section shall be calculated based on the compensation of the coroner being received at the time the increases become effective for county employees. The inclusion of funds in the county budget, at the time of its approval, to cover the costs for compensation increases, as provided in this section, shall be considered the granting of an increase for whatever type of compensation increases funds are included in the county budget when it is approved.

e. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the starting salary of any successor coroner shall be the salary of his or her predecessor, including all cost-of-living increases of his or her predecessor in office, but not including longevity increases, merit raises, or bonuses received by any of his or her predecessors in office.

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the expense allowances provided for in subsection (b) of Section 45-8-11.03 shall not be increased or become part of the salary of the coroner.

(3) Unless otherwise authorized by the law, compensation increases provided for in this section to an incumbent coroner shall be paid as an expense allowance until the beginning of the next term of office whereupon the expense allowance shall be included in the base salary for the coroner, and the expense allowance shall be void.

(g) The coroner may accept reimbursement from funeral establishments for the reasonable and necessary cost to the office of the coroner for removing and transporting the body of a decedent to a funeral establishment and reimbursement for the reasonable and necessary cost of providing copies of reports and other documentation. Before the tenth of each month all amounts reimbursed to the office of the coroner during the preceding month shall be disbursed by the coroner to the county commission and deposited in a separate account for use by the coroner to pay operating expenses of the coroner's office, to furnish supplies and equipment necessary for the performance of the official duties of the office, and to pay training expenses, including expenses for travel to obtain training for the coroner, assistant coroners, and other personnel of the coroner's office.

(Act 2009-392, p. 716, §1-7.)