Bedford County may consider participating in a new program which would let county agencies like the jail and EMS buy medications at a greatly reduced cost -- but the county must find a local pharmacist who is willing to serve as a contact point.

The program was discussed Tuesday evening by Bedford County Financial Management Committee.

Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities has notified all county mayors and sheriffs that county govertnments can opt in under an existing state government contract to purchase medications at a greatly reduced cost. However, the medications must be ordered through and received by a licensed pharmacist, either on the county's payroll or in the local community.

County officials said Tuesday night that the program could save the county considerable money.

In other discussion, committee members heard a report from Finance Director Robert Daniel that charges for autopsies submitted by the county medical examiner are legitimate and were issued in cases where the autopsies were required by law. The charges total more than the county had budgeted for autopsy cost, so a budget amendment approved Tuesday by the committee puts more money into that line item.

Committee members had questioned the charges at a previous meeting, asking why autopsies were required in certain situations and why so many charges had beens ubmitted.

The county also heard that there is no formal employment contract with the county's medical examiner, Dr. Howard Rupard. Rupard had proposed such a contract in 2003, thinking it would place him under the county's insurance umbrella in certain medical liability situations. When that turned out not to be the case, the contract which had been drawn up was never executed.