(A) Burial or cremation pursuant to R.C. § 9.15 shall be done only with prior authorization of the Municipal Administrator, or his or her designee, and shall be subject to such terms and requirements as may be deemed appropriate.
(B) The Municipal Administrator is hereby authorized to enter into agreements for professional services as necessary to prepare persons for burial or cremation pursuant to R.C. § 9.15, in an amount set forth in § 35.70.
(C) Before any burial or cremation authorized under division (B) above, the funeral director or other professional service provider shall submit the following to the Municipal Administrator, or his or her designee: An original certificate, in a form to be prescribed by the Municipal Administrator and stating that the deceased meets the requirements set by R.C. § 9.15.
(1) Such certificate shall be completed by the next of kin, or if the next of kin is not available, the individual reasonably believed to be the most knowledgeable person available concerning the affairs of the deceased.
(2) Such certificate shall be completed, signed, and witnessed in the city's municipal offices or in any other location designated by the Municipal Administrator, prior to or on the day of burial or cremation.
(D) Should it be determined, after payment by the city pursuant to division (B), that the city did not have a legal responsibility to provide such burial or cremation, the city shall be entitled to any benefits payable by any person or agency who did have responsibility to pay burial or cremation benefits, up to the amount actually incurred by the city.
(Ord. 8514, passed 5-16-2016; Am. Ord. 8818, passed 2-3-2020) Penalty, see § 91.99