LaSalle County might get a morgue. It may cost $2 million. The County Board went into executive session at a special meeting Tuesday to discuss purchasing or leasing property. That could mean the board might have an idea of where to put the morgue. Some LaSalle County residents discussed why the county needs one. Peru Resident Glen Pratt says when his brother died last year, he had to make arrangements with the coroner’s office. He’d later found out that his brother had been taken to Ptak Funeral Home, which he says he didn’t arrange to happen.
Peru Resident Crystal Loughron says she’s not impressed with how the county board has been spending the federal COVID relief dollars. Before the county gives all of it out, she wants some of it to go toward a new morgue. The county received about $21 million in COVID relief. There’s only $4.5 million left.
22nd District Rep. Steven Aubry of Marseilles wanted to set aside $2 million in federal COVID relief funds until more information about how the morgue could be built was known. His motion was withdrawn after the county board went into executive session. 9th District Rep. Ray Gatza of Peru also said that every county with a bigger population than LaSalle County has a morgue, so LaSalle County should build one.