During his run for office, the county’s newly elected coroner learned that most people don’t know what a coroner does.
Much of the public thinks they’re like the characters on CSI: Miami, coroner Mike Pruitt said.
So, he set out on a mission to change that.
Sworn in and learning the ropes of their new offices, Johnson County’s newly elected officials are ready to serve.
Much of Johnson County’s leadership was retained, but voters selected a new coroner, two new members of the Johnson County Council and a handful of new state representatives.
In his new role, Pruitt is setting big goals and juggling duties of the part-time job with his already busy schedule. To prepare, Pruitt shadowed a Marion County deputy coroner and got advice from experienced coroners nearby, he said.
One of Pruitt’s first goals for the office is to share more about what his office does with the public and with elected officials.
The coroner’s office investigates suspicious or sudden deaths, such as a death stemming from a murder, car accident, fatal fire or infectious disease. The office also works to identify bodies, works on missing person cases and keeps death records.
Pruitt set up a Facebook page for the office and plans to share information about what the office does and who works there, as well as ask the public for help in identifying individuals whose next of kin are hard to locate, he said.
Pruitt’s other goals are to eventually bring a morgue to Johnson County, which doesn’t have one, and to convince officials to make the coroner a full-time position. Though neither lofty goal will happen overnight, he hopes to lay that groundwork over time by showing the need for change, he said.
For now, Pruitt is relying on five deputies to handle the workload, with plans to hire three to four additional deputies this year. His chief deputy, Dr. Jefferson Qualls, brings decades of experience in medicine and a vast knowledge of the community to the office, he said.
As he sets up the office for success, he is also setting up his own balancing act of responsibilities. Pruitt is deputy chief of the Bargersville Community Fire Department, a member of state public safety organizations and is heavily involved in county 4-H. There is a lot to juggle, he said.
Luckily, the job is mobile and Pruitt thrives on staying busy, he said.
“I know where my priorities lie at the moment,” Pruitt said. “I find ways to do it. I have a lot of support from my deputies and family so that makes a big difference, too.”
Two new Johnson County Council members, Ron Deer and Melinda Griesemer, have spent a lot of time researching their roles and familiarizing themselves with what’s going on in county government. Both said they are ready to listen to their constituents and eager to bring their talents to the table for at least the next four years.
Deer, who served on the Greenwood city council for 24 years, has poured over minutes from recent county board meetings, reviewed the county budget and read up on the job so he can hit the ground running. As a retiree, Deer plans to put a lot of time and energy into his new role, he said.
Griesemer, who steps up to the role from precinct committeeperson, has kept busy preparing for the job by also reading up on the role and meeting with others in county government to learn more about the issues and get a feel for how she can help, she said. Griesemer will juggle county council responsibilities with running her health care consulting businesses.
For the office, both said their top priority will be to listen to constituents and make the best decisions possible for everyone in the county.
Both are eager to see new bylaws passed on the council this year. Last year, a committee was formed to recommend rules changes that would prevent a tax increase approved by only a majority of council members present, not a majority of the full council. That committee is expected to share its recommendations at a meeting in the near future, they said.
Deer and Griesemer will join their fellow council members at their first meeting of the year, at 6 p.m. tonight.
