Vigo County Coroner Susan Amos asked the county council to raise her salary at Tuesday night's meeting. The council denied her request.
Amos feels that her current pay rate is discriminatory. Her predecessor, Doctor Ronald Kohr earned more than $48,000 per year. She earns a $31,000 annual salary.
“[The] only difference between Kohr and myself is that I am female,” Amos told the council.
The county coroner's salary was set at $21,000 before the current coroner took office. Indiana law allows counties to pay licensed physicians, regardless of their specialty, 1.5 times the set amount. Amos, citing the Indiana State Coroner's association said that the average salary for a coroner in the state of Indiana is $41,000.
Councilman Mark D. Bird challenged the figures, citing statistics gathered from the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns.. “I don't see how your numbers can be correct,” he commented.
Kohr, who is a licensed forensic pathologist, did not charge the county for the autopsy he performed.. His successor, who holds a different specialty, cannot perform this service. Vigo County Auditor Tim Soprodi said the auditor's office received letters on her behalf before she took office, and he added that she knew about the salary before she assumed office.
The coroner had asked for the minutes of the meeting where the coroner's salary was discussed, and said she had not received them. Soprodi said the council would provide the minutes by Friday. Amos asked for the minutes from a date on which the council did not meet.
She walked out of the meeting after the council denied her request.
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