Bannock County returns forensic lab funds
BANNOCK COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI)– Bannock County has returned nearly $1 million of state funding originally secured to construct the now-defunct East Idaho Forensic Pathology Center.
In 2022, the State Legislature transferred $900,000 to Idaho State University to begin building the lab. ISU later pulled out of the project and transferred the funds to Bannock County.
"ISU gave the money that we received from the state to Bannock County, and we utilized the funds trying to make the project go as far as we could, trying to move forward," said Bannock County commissioner Ernie Moser. "I think it would have been a great deal for Bannock County and the surrounding counties, but it just didn't happen."
In November 2024, Twin Falls State Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-District 24, and two government watchdog groups alleged that ISU and Bannock County violated the terms of appropriations bill H776 and misappropriated the funds, calling for an investigation from the Idaho Attorney General.
Commissioners Moser and Jeff Hough voted at a January 7 meeting to return over $600,000 of unused state funds to ISU, with another $200,000 of county funds to make up for costs accrued in project planning and development.
"As far as Bannock County, and as far as I was concerned, we've given the money back," said Commissioner Moser. "Everything that was done was done with an honest heart, trying to do what was best for the people of Bannock County in a direction that I think would have helped, but we couldn't afford it."
The money was sent to ISU on January 9, and the university said they will return the funds to the Idaho State Legislature.
Commissioner Moser said that, moving forward, he would like to see a state-funded forensic pathology lab built in the area, and a continued partnership between Bannock County and Idaho State University.
"I think that in the end, it's a positive," said Commissioner Moser. "We've worked together, we've refunded the money, and we didn't get the project that we wanted, but we tried."
