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Published: April 03, 2008 07:39 am
CANDIDATE Q&A: Floyd County Coroner - Democratic Primary
Editor’s Note: Submissions appear as the candidates submitted them without editing.Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Except where noted, questionnaires are only being published for contested races.
Gregory Balmer• AGE: 52
• EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS: 1973 Graduate Floyd Central High School, completed continuing education courses at Indiana University Southeast, acquired certification as a Medicolegal Death Investigator through the Indiana State Coroners Training Board. I have attended numerous seminars involving death investigation including forensic investigation, forensic entomology, forensic anthropology, evidence collection and preservation, fingerprinting and many other aspects of the role of the coroner. I also have a certification as a State Fire Instructor II/III through the State of Indiana and a Firemedic.
• CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: “I have served Floyd County 10 years as a deputy coroner and 10 years as coroner and I currently hold the position of coroner. I have received certification as a Medicolegal Death Investigator. I have served the community for 28 years as a member of the Lafayette Township Volunteer Fire Department where I held the position of Fire Chief for 12 years. I am a recipient of the State Fire Marshall’s Meritorious Service Award. I have also received certification as a First Responder through the State of Indiana Emergency Medical Services. I serve on the Floyd County Emergency Management Advisory Board, the Floyd County Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Floyd County Child Fatality Review Team. I am an associate member of the Fraternal Order of Police # 99 and the Knights of Columbus Cardinal Ritter Council # 1221.”
• FAMILY NOTES: “I am a lifelong resident of Floyd County and one of five children of Edward & Rosemary Balmer of Floyds Knobs. I am a widower. I was married 18 years to the late Rebecca Davis-Balmer.”
1) Why are you running for this position?
“I have been involved in serving the community for almost 20 years in the Coroner’s office as the coroner and a deputy coroner and want to continue to do so. The primary role of a coroner is to investigate unexpected deaths that occur in their jurisdiction to determine the cause and manner of death. I have extensive knowledge and training in death investigation and procedures. I want to keep serving the community in this position. I feel that with my training and experience I am the best-qualified candidate for the position of Coroner. I am the only candidate certified as a medicolegal death investigator.”
2) What is the most important issue facing this position and what is your plan to resolve it?
“During the past few years state legislators have been enacting laws pertaining to the training requirements of coroners and deputy coroners. Currently the current deputy coroners of Floyd County and myself are the only ones in Floyd County that meet the training requirements outlined in state statutes and are all certified as medicolegal death investigators. I will continue to ensure that all deputy coroners continue the required continuing education requirements that have been enacted in Indiana codes.”
3) What unique contribution will you make to local office?
“I have several years experience in many aspects of forensic investigation pertaining to the role of the coroner. I am the only candidate certified as a medicolegal death investigator that meets current Indiana training requirements. I have established professional relationships with forensic pathologists, entomologists, anthropologists, and forensic laboratories that assist and are essential in performing death investigations. I have experience in investigating numerous deaths due to natural, accidental, suicidal and homicidal causes and manners. I have experience in dealing with organ and tissue procurement organizations regarding organ and tissue donations. I have experience in and will continue to perform death investigations with proficiency and professionalism while maintaining respect for the dignity of the deceased and the family of the deceased.”
4) Have you ever been convicted of a non-traffic court crime in the United States? If so, please explain all relevant instances.
“No.”
5) Do you consider yourself a progressive? How would you define progress? What gets left behind in your vision of progress?
“Yes I would consider myself progressive. I would define progress as moving forward, favoring improvement and advancement. keeping up with current changes. People who do not keep up with progress would be left behind the most.”
Dr. Leslie E. Knable• AGE: 45
• EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS: Dr. of Veterinary Medicine: Purdue University – 1989; Licensed Mortician and Funeral Director: Mid-America College of Funeral Services – 2004; B.S. Biochemistry: Purdue University – 1985; New Albany High School – Class of 1981; Eligible and Qualified for Medicolegal Death Investigator when elected
• CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Former Assistant Deputy Coroner – Tippecanoe County; Owner of Blackiston Mill Animal Clinic; Owner Final Provisions – a private mortuary service available to all Funeral Homes, dedicated to facial restoration of homicide, suicide and other trauma victims.
Associate Member – Death Education and Counseling Association
• FAMILY NOTES: “I am a native of Floyd County and I am the daughter of Lillian Knable and the late Dr. Alfred Knable. I am married to Dr. Jeffrey Mathewson and together we have three children, Cain (13), Isaac (12), and Georgia (9). We live in Floyds Knobs and are members of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. My siblings include Nick Knable, Alfred Knable Jr. MD, Daniel Knable, and Jana Knable MD. My Grandfather, Edmund Knable, and Grandmother, Bertha Knable, served as Commissioner in Floyd County. My Uncle Richard, Aunt Joan and my Uncle Edmund “Junie” Knable also served as Commissioner.”
1) Why are you running for this position?
“As Country Coroner, I want to personally assure our community that every death will be responded to promptly, the deceased treated with dignity and surviving family members treated with compassion. Providing families with timely, accurate, concise information concerning their loved ones, death allows them to start planning a meaningful funeral service.
“In addition, as coroner I would be responsible for determining the cause of every death in Floyd County. A community our size has an estimated 720 deaths a year. Approximately 86 of these deaths will require some type of investigation. My goal as Coroner is to establish a relationship with all Law Enforcement Departments allowing each of us to utilize our individual areas of expertise to provide answers to families and the community.”
2) What is the most important issue facing this position and what is your plan to resolve it?
“The most important issue facing the position of Coroner is individuals without medical education or training holding this office. Most people assume the Coroner is some type of doctor. This is not true in Floyd County. In fact, according to Indiana’s Coroner Training Board, there are absolutely no educational requirements to become Coroner. A person need only be 18 years old and live in Floyd County for 1 year to be eligible to run for Coroner. Many counties in Indiana have much higher standards resulting in the position being filled by Physicians, Dentists, Veterinarians, Oral Surgeons, and Chiropractors. An elected Coroner only receives a four day training course to become a Certified Medicolegal Death Investigator.
“The Coroner’s duties are extensive. The County Coroner is in charge of all crime scenes. Duties include securing the crime scene, collection and processing evidence and determining the cause and manner of death. Often in this county, the Coroner cannot exercise these powers due to lack of knowledge and training. With my education and experience, I will be an asset to an investigation because I will be able to serve beyond just an administrative role.”
3) What unique contribution will you make to local office?
“I believe I am a uniquely qualified candidate due to my diverse education and experience. I understand a death from every aspect. Being a doctor, I understand the language of the pathologist if an autopsy is performed; previous experience in a Coroner’s office has prepared me for the duties of Coroner. As a mortician and funeral director, I am sensitive to the need for the funeral home to gather information about the deceased as soon as possible. Every death is unique and therefore so is every funeral. Lastly, my job as a facial restoration mortician has prepared me to handle any type of situation including homicides, suicides, and accidents. Communication with the survivors and my advanced grief training has taught me that compassion and listening are equally as important as “just doing my job.”
4) Have you ever been convicted of a non-traffic court crime in the United States? If so, please explain all relevant instances.
“No.”
5) Do you consider yourself a progressive? How would you define progress? What gets left behind in your vision of progress?
”Anyone holding or running for a political office needs to be progressive. I believe that anyone truly committed to their office can be progressive and leave nothing behind. My definition of progressive in its most literal sense – to move forward, making improvement step by step, but never reaching completion because progress is a never ending process.
“Having a doctor as Coroner in Floyd County is a sign of progress. I would like to work with the Coroners Board to increase the educational requirements future Coroners must complete. I would also work to require more extensive criminal background checks for Coroners. Floyd County is in need of a mass fatality plan. If elected, I will use my affiliation with Homeland Security, Indiana’s Mobile Mortuary Unit and my relationship with funeral directors to institute a solid plan if a disaster or disease epidemic should strike our community.”
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