WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Whatcom County’s newest Medical Examiner will soon take over on an official basis.

The Whatcom County Council voted unanimously at its meeting last week to confirm Dr. Aldo Fusaro as the county’s Medical Examiner.

Fusaro has served as the county’s interim Medical Examiner since September while splitting time with his other position as deputy medical examiner for the Montana State Medical Examiner’s Office.

His appointment came after My Bellingham Now previously reported on an investigation into improperly stored bodies at a local funeral home that found the former Medical Examiner’s Office was at fault.

Council member Ben Elenbaas offered his full support for Fusaro at last week’s meeting.

“As he’s served as our interim medical examiner, the feedback that I’ve gotten from people that have worked with him… I’ll quote one: ‘It’s like a breath of fresh air,'” Elenbaas said.

The council is also considering an ordinance that would create an executive Medical Examiner Department to make the staff county employees rather than independent contractors.

Fusaro previously served as Associate Medical Examiner in King County for 12 years before being hired as the Deputy Medical Examiner for Montana in 2017.

His official appointment is scheduled for Dec. 9.