Washington County signals move to study Blanton Fire Station as interim medical examiner facility amid transport provider collapse

Washington County commissioners on May 12 heard that the county’s Medical Examiner operations lack dedicated storage, a county‑controlled exam room and reliable transport services — and staff recommended moving forward to study a retrofit of the Blanton Fire Station as a short‑term facility solution.

Dr. Kim Repp, who supervises the county Medical Examiner’s Office, told the board the office handled about 1,100 jurisdictions in 2024 and that roughly 140 of those cases (about 19%) received autopsies. Repp said the state’s forensic pathologists work out of Clackamas County and that the state office has curtailed capacity in recent years, increasing operational risk for Washington County. "We are required to be functioning 24/7," Repp said, citing state responsibility; she warned transport and storage constraints are now acute.

The urgency grew when staff reported that the private decedent transport company serving the metro area will close June 30, removing the county’s main specialized transport option and threatening long transport delays and law‑enforcement hold times at scenes. "They will be closing on June 30," a staff presenter said. Commissioners were told the county pays for transport under contract and that, in the absence of a contractor, county staff can transport decedents with one truck but at the cost of taking an investigator out of service for hours.

The feasibility study — which examined operations, workloads, staffing assumptions and facility gaps — found that a large new build would take too long and cost too much to meet immediate needs. Facilities staff recommended a "day‑1 retrofit" approach to meet near‑term requirements (secure intake, cooler capacity, a dedicated exam room and documentation/imaging support) and identified two county properties for evaluation. Of the two, staff recommended the Blanton campus fire station as the most feasible short‑term retrofit because of its tall bays (which can be adapted for a secured roll‑in entry), existing security and central location. Facilities noted existing lease and bond constraints; the lease with TVF&R runs through June 2027 and county counsel is reviewing bond‑use language for compatibility.

Commissioners pressed staff on demand projections and the study’s assumptions. Some expressed surprise at Blanton as the leading candidate and asked for more mapping and community engagement; others stressed that the transport company failure is an immediate operational problem separate from the facility decision. "We're hanging on, treading water," Repp said, describing the current reliance on a funeral home that has agreed to hold one exam table.

Board direction and next steps
Staff asked permission to advance Blanton into a Phase 3 study to refine programming and cost estimates. Commissioners signaled support and asked staff to prepare a resolution or action item for the next board agenda to memorialize the direction; staff will return with detailed cost estimates, refined programming, and permitting analysis. The board also requested a separate follow up specifically focused on the transport gap and short‑term operational options.

No formal roll‑call vote was recorded in the presentation; staff and commissioners described a direction to proceed with further study and a plan to place a resolution or action item before the board for formal consideration.