The Buena Vista County Board of Supervisors has approved an agreement with Youth Emergency Services of Cherokee for the transport of inmates.
          Sheriff Gary Launderville says every court order says the sheriff’s department shall transport juveniles… but they can have the YES Center do the transport if the department doesn’t have people available.  He says if he has to bring in a deputy on overtime and if the inmate is female and a matron is needed, the cost of the county doing the transport can reach 50-dollars an hour… while the YES Center charges 18-dollars an hour.
          Although the county has been using the YES Center for transports, there’s been no written agreement… and the Supervisors had some questions about whether Launderville could designate someone other than his department to do the transports.  Tuesday morning, county attorney Dave Patten said under home rule, the sheriff can appoint a designee.  Supervisor Ken Hach said the contract is necessary to the operation of the sheriff’s department due to the number of mental health transports.
          YES Center director Cheryl McGrory said he board has already approved the agreement, and they’re having agreements with all the counties they serve.