Board of Supervisors approve medical examiner contract to Serenity Memorial Group

MOHAVE COUNTY – Mohave County is changing up the way it outsources medical examiner services to the private sector. The contract previously held by Dr. Archiaus Mosley is being awarded to the Serenity Memorial Group, a chain of mortuaries based in Mohave Valley.

County Manager Sam Elters said Dr. Mosley indicated in June he did not wish to renew his annual contract and he continued working on a month-to-month basis as the County struggled to find qualified practitioners to take over—given health issues and burnout cited by the doctor—as well as his indication he didn’t want to handle the business and administrative end of the operation any longer.

“We’ve been trying to get replacement medical examiner services for over a year now and there’s been no interest from a certified medical examiner,” Procurement Director Tara Acton told County Supervisors during their Nov. 15 Board meeting. “We were approached by mortuary service practitioners saying that if they could run the business side of the work and contract out to someone that’s qualified to do the medical examinations that they’d be willing to take on the business side.”

Elters said invitations for proposals in the mortuary services sector led to the agreement with Serenity and owner John Hassett.

“Dr. Mosley is a phenomenal pathologist, and he does not enjoy running the business of things. I am not a pathologist and I do business,” Hassett said.

The Board approved an award of a $1.1 million, 3-year contract to Serenity.

Hassett said he supports the decision and will help if the County wants to transition medical examiner services under the County umbrella.

“I for one am your biggest supporter of doing it in house, you’re just not ready,” Hassett said. “I do think that is the end result of what should be planned, and I am more than happy to work with the County Manager’s office, and the Supervisors as well, to do that.”

Dave Hawkins