MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Marquette County Board tonight entered into a three-year contract for medical examiner services with Dickinson County. The board also made Dr. Martin Cristanelli, the current Dickinson County M.E., the official Marquette County medical examiner as well. The county’s medical examiners’ office performs autopsies and issues death certificates among its many important duties.
The county has been using the Dickinson medical examiner’s office for the last year after it severed ties with a Saginaw-based forensic lab that has since gone out of business. Marquette County Board Chair Joe Derocha says the new deal with Dickinson County fosters inter-county cooperation and is also far more cost-effective.
“Not only does it provide high quality service, but you know, came in, certainly under, under our projected numbers. And we appreciate, we appreciate the collaborative effort. And shout out to the Dickinson County board for taking us on a year ago and cleaning up quite a mess,” said board chair Joe Derocha.
Marquette County has been forced to contract out forensic services since Marquette-based Upper Peninsula Health Systems no longer performs autopsies
