CORONER: Keene is most qualified

I am voting for Dr. Warren Keene for coroner on May 20. In the Dec. 1, 2012, edition of the Coeur d’Alene Press, the beginnings of the coroner’s office budget overrun were brought to public light. The Kootenai County commissioners were reported to be considering an internal audit of the county coroner’s department, since the coroner had exceeded her department’s budget for the second consecutive year. My understanding is with that included and today’s budget overage, the office is over 50 percent what it was four years ago. Those are my tax dollars being wasted.

Dr. Keene has run a private office and a state office where budgets are tight. He was the Assistant Dean of the Northwest Campus of the University of North Dakota College of Medicine for more than six years. He has 33 years of medical experience in both family medicine and emergency medicine.

According to the letter published in Wednesday’s Press (April 23), retired Coroner Robert West has informally consulted with Deb Wilkey on virtually every autopsy done in the past four years! Doesn’t sound like a confident, qualified coroner to me. And who is giving Robert West access to these medical/autopsy records/information? I don’t believe he is an employee of the county, and I believe HIPPA regulations prevent the disclosure of this kind of information. Dr. Keene makes tough decisions in the ER all the time. I believe the buck stops with Dr. Keene, and he is the most qualified to run the coroner’s office. Vote May 20. Vote Dr. Keene for coroner.

DEBRA WUNDERLICH

Post Falls