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Indian River County, Florida <br />wt <br />*toA * MEMORANDUM <br />11�AI <br />Indian River County <br />Administration Complex <br />1801 27th Street <br />Vero Beach, Florida 32960 <br />indianriver.gov <br />File ID: 25-0410 Type: Administrators Matters Meeting Date: 4/8/2025 <br />TO: Board of County Commissioners <br />FROM: John A. Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator <br />DATE: March 28, 2025 <br />SUBJECT: Requested Salary Increase - Chief Medical Examiner, District 19 <br />BACKGROUND <br />Pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Interlocal Agreement (Medical Examiner), the Medical <br />Examiner is an independent contractor and not an agent, servant or employee of the four Counties (Indian <br />River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie). Dr. Patricia A. Aronica was selected, via a search committee (of the <br />4 County Region), and appointed (by the Governor) in 2020, as the District 19, Chief Medical Examiner. Dr. <br />Aronica has been subsequently recommended by the Medical Examiners Commission (MEC) for <br />reappointment by the Governor for another three-year term (2023 - 2026). By way of background information, <br />the MEC operates from within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and is a eight (8) member <br />commission comprised of representatives from Medical Examiners, State Attorneys, Public Defenders, County <br />Commissioners, Sheriffs, Funeral Home Industry, Attorney General/Designee, and State Surgeon <br />General/Designee. Prior to the MEC providing its recommendation for reappointment, surveys were mailed to <br />the constituents of the District in January 2023. According to MEC staff, survey respondents that would have <br />received the survey include the State Attorney, Public Defender, County Commissioners, respective Sheriffs <br />and Chief Law Enforcement official's of counties and municipalities served, funeral directors, respective county <br />Medical Society's, and other related organizations that are served by the Office of the Medical Examiner. <br />County Administration was contacted by the St. Lucie County Administrator concerning a request to increase <br />Dr. Aronica's salary. The St. Lucie County Administrator was contacted by and informed of Dr. Aronica's intent <br />to resign for another opportunity as the Medical Examiner of a different district within the State. It was <br />conveyed that she was intending to resign largely due to a lower population served, the case workload, and <br />autopsies performed in the new position. Moreover, the established salary ($510,000) for the new position is <br />substantially higher than her current salary. St. Lucie County Administrator conferred with the State Attorney's <br />Office, the Public Defender and the St. Lucie County Sheriff, of which he reports they all indicated the need to <br />retain Dr. Aronica. It was additionally reported that the other three Counties were supportive of the requested <br />salary increase due to other vacancies within the State. Discussions with MEC staff indicate there is currently <br />one Medical Examiner vacancy (District 8) due to the former Medical Examiner being appointed as the District <br />2 Medical Examiner. There is an active recruitment underway for the District 8 Medical Examiner position. <br />The District 8 Office of Medical Examiner serves Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union <br />Counties with a district population of 429,311. According to the 2023 Medical Examiners Commission 2023 <br />Indian River County, Florida Page 1 of 3 Printed on 4/2/2025 <br />pow!Mj LegistarTm <br />