HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2021.03.11 - 34241MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #21056
BY: Commissioners Janet Jackson, District#21; David Woodward, District#19; Angela Powell, District #10
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — IMPROVE ACCESS AND PROVIDE EXPRESS DELIVERY OF
DEATH CERTIFICATES ISSUED BY THE OAKLAND COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE TO FUNERAL
HOMES
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS since the beginning of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the startling death toll
has put and even greater strain on many families and funeral homes across Oakland County; and
WHEREAS funeral homes are making significant adjustments to help families mourn their loved ones
without putting more lives in danger; and
WHEREAS the certification of a family members death should not be an added burden during a family's
time to mourn their loved one; and
WHEREAS obtaining a family member's death certificate in a timely manner serves to relieve the deceased
from social, legal and official obligations. It is also used to enable settlement of property inheritance, and
to authorize the family to collect insurance and other benefits, including arrangement for a funeral; and
WHEREAS to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and to protect the safety of the public and staff, the
Oakland County Clerk's Office is currently open by appointment only for urgent matters; and
WHEREAS due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Clerk's Office has limited the number
decedents' death certificates a funeral home can request; and
WHEREAS due to the COVID-19 public health emergency local area funeral directors are witnessing an
unpleasant trend where death certificates are taking much longer than 7-10 business days to arrive causing
additional pain on grieving families; and
WHEREAS to ensure timely delivery of death certificates during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Oakland
County Board of Commissioners proposes to temporarily cover expedited delivery costs thru September
30, 2021 or until the Oakland County Clerk's Office resumes receiving in -person public requests on a
nonappointment basis; and
WHEREAS the balance of the cost will be covered through the appropriation of $50,000 from the General
Fund Assigned Fund Balance,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby grants a
temporarily waiver of express mail shipping fees to deliver death certificates through September 30, 2021
or until the Oakland County Clerk's Office resumes receiving in -person public requests on a
nonappointment basis.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioner requests the Oakland County Clerk's Office
to lift restrictions on the number of decedents' death certificate a funeral home can request.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners requests the Oakland County Clerk's Office
to explore all shipping carrier express mail and flat fee shipping options to deliver death certificates in 1-2
business days.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED should a recipient not receive the requested death certificate within 5
business days of the online order, the Oakland County Clerk's Office shall replace without charge if notified
within 30 days of the original request the death certificate was not delivered.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the funding of $50,000 is available to transfer from the General Fund
Assigned Fund Balance to the Oakland County Clerk's General Fund Budget.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the FY 2021 budgets is amended as follows:
GENERAL FUND I#101001 FY 2021
Revenues
9010101-196030-665882 Planned Use of Balance $50,000
Total Revenues $50 000QO
Expenditures
2010201-133095-750392 Metered Postage $50,000
Total Expenditures $5990
Chairperson, we move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
Co issioner Janet Jackson
District #21
J�A
Commissioner Anbela Powell
District #10
04� rIjj
Commissioner David Woodward
District #19
Resolution #21056
February 18, 2021
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Legislative Affairs and Government
Operations Committee. There were no objections.
Resolution #21056 March 11, 2021
Moved by Nelson seconded by Jackson the resolution be adopted.
Moved by Jackson seconded by Nelson the resolution be amended as follows:
Amend the language in the 181 WHEREAS as follow:
WHEREAS since the beginning of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the startling
death toll has put and even greater strain on many families and funeral homes across Oakland
County; and
Amend the language in the 5th WHEREAS as follow:
WHEREAS to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and to protect the safety of the public and
staff, the Oakland County Clerk's Office is currently open by appointment only fer--urgent ate'«�•s;
and
Delete the 61h WHEREAS clause:
WHEREAS dup 4 the GOVID IA pub! G health e , the Qe Flk's Off se has limited the
ether denedPR#;' death ne.4'figaten e funeral home n request; and
Add the following language as the 81h WHEREAS clause:
WHEREAS on February 28, 2021, The Detroit News reported that it takes "anywhere from
two to eight weeks" to receive a death certificate by mail from the Oakland County Clerk/
Register of Deeds Office; and
Amend the language in the NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED as follow
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
grants a temporarBy waiver of express mail shipping fees to deliver death certificates to funeral
homes through September 30, 2021 or until the Oakland County Clerk's Office resumes receiving
in -person public requests on a nonappointment basis.
Delete the 1st BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED clause:
Amend the language in the 3rd BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED as follow:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED should a funeral home recipient not receive the requested death
certificate within 5 business days of the online order, the Oakland County Clerk's Office shall
replace without charge if notified within 30 days of the original request the death certificate was not
delivered.
Discussion followed.
Vote on amendment:
AYES: Kochenderfer, Kowall, Kuhn, Long, Luebs, Markham, McGillivray, Miller, Moss, Nelson,
Powell, Spisz, Weipert, Woodward, Cavell, Charles, Gershenson, Gingell, Hoffman, Jackson,
Joliet. (21)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the amendment carried.
Discussion followed.
Moved by Hoffman seconded by Spisz to postpone the resolution until the March 25, 2021 Board of
Commissioners meeting.
Discussion followed.
A sufficient majority not having voted in favor, the motion to postpone failed.
Vote on resolution, as amended:
AYES: Luebs, Markham, McGillivray, Miller, Nelson, Powell, Woodward, Cavell, Charles,
Gershenson, Jackson. (11)
NAYS: Kowall, Kuhn, Long, Moss, Spisz, Weipert, Gingell, Hoffman, Joliet, Kochenderfer. (10)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolution, as amended, was adopted.
,
C' L'
IIH(EERREE`BY APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION
CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE
ACTING PURSUANT TO MCLA5.559A (7)
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on March 11, 2021,
with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at Pontiac,
Michigan this 11th day of March 2021.
s�, nOyilElSnd County