Lehigh County Executive Tom Muller delivered the much anticipated operational analysis for Cedarbrook Nursing Home to the Lehigh County Committee on Cedarbrook Aug. 9.

The analysis, done by Good Shepherd, presents options and costs so county commissioners can better judge how to spend money on the two-campus facility.

Later, Commissioner Brad Osborne said in an interview his General Services Committee wants to work with the Cedarbrook committee headed by Dan Hartzell to “not only decide what options to choose, but develop a timetable for all of the steps that need to be done.”

He said he wants to “actually follow the money to get the project underway and give people the certainty that we are following through with a decision once we make it.”

In a previous meeting, Osborne expressed concern the report had not been received by the commissioners earlier.

In other matters, the national opioid crisis is hitting Lehigh County residents in their collective pocketbook.

Lehigh County Commissioners listened to the first reading of a bill to give the coroner $25,000 to transport cadavers and another $150,000 for “post mortem expenses” according to the draft ordinance presented at the meeting.

“Unforeseen caseload increases” within the Office of the Coroner caused the coroner to seek additional funding to cover the remainder of 2017’s anticipated expenses.

Commissioner Dr. Percy Dougherty said the extra $175,000 came from other county accounts.

Commissioner Amanda Holt sponsored an amendment keeping the money from coming from the Stabilization Fund which is earmarked for emergencies. According to Dougherty, Coroner Scott Grim had “forewarned” the commissioners last year to expect a request for additional funding.

Dougherty told commissioners the additional cost was related to the state’s opioid crisis and the increased death rate caused by excessive prescription drugs.