(a) The Village Administrator is hereby authorized to contract with Funeral Directors and cemeteries for the interment of indigents. Two thousand dollars ($2,000) is hereby appropriated for this purpose. Council may increase or decrease this amount based upon an annual review of indigent funeral expenses. Any surplus at the end of the year will be returned to the general fund.
(b) If the lawful residency of an indigent is known and the governmental entity responsible for burial refuses or causes unreasonable delay in claiming the body then the Village Administrator will cause the interment of that indigent at Village expense. The Administrator will then certify those expenses to the Village Solicitor. The Solicitor will then initiate legal action against that governmental entity responsible for the costs of interment of the indigent.
(c) If there is a question as to the indigent status of the deceased then the Village Administrator will certify that question to the Village Solicitor. The Solicitor will then investigate the matter and, if warranted, is hereby authorized to intervene or initiate action against the assets or the estate of the deceased for the cost of interment.
(Ord. 1487. Passed 9-16-02.)