CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office said they're owed thousands in late payments from Brooks County for autopsy services performed through their office in Corpus Christi.
Wednesday, staff took their concerns to Nueces County Commissioners to see how they want to proceed with the matter.
The medical examiner's office asked county leaders to give Brooks County more time to make their payment by extending the deadline until the end of the month, something commissioners weren't ultimately willing to do.
Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office Director of Operations Forest Mitchell has six pending invoices for autopsy services from Brooks County that come out to around $25,000.
Two of those payments are now passed due and just those two alone equal just over $7,000.
"They have run out of money according to their auditors," he said.
Under the agreement, the county could assess late penalties.
So what happened?
Brooks County Judge Eric Ramos said that it has to do with the medical examiner's office raising their rates last year after Brooks County had already set its fiscal budget.
"The fees have gone up quite a bit and we did not budget for the increase and so we are having to move money to do that and that just take a little time to do," he said.
They are now working on paying their overdue invoices but Nueces County Commissioner Brent Chesney said he has to think of Nueces County first because of their own expected shortfall.
"Let me tell you no one is in a tighter spot than Nueces County," he said. "Our budget is going to be the worst ever unless some miracle happens. I'm not in a waiving mood knowing what we could be facing here at Nueces County."
The fees are split 60/40 with the doctor who performs the autopsy. If the county isn't paid, the doctor isn't either.
"We love our neighbors and work well together, looking at what we are looking at with the county it's a hard thing to discuss right now," Nueces County Judge Connie Scott said.
In the end, no one was willing to make a motion to give them an extension, which means Brooks County could be looking at late fees on top of an overdue amount.
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