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The Washington County Commissioners signed an agreement Monday morning with Nowata County. Last Thursday night, the Nowata County Jail had a carbon monoxide leak that caused an evacuation from the building. That included 18 inmates that were transported to the Washington County Jail. Chairman Mitch Antle said the agreement with Nowata County focuses on inmate health. While it will cost $34 per inmate per day to stay in the jail, Antles said the cost doesn't matter as much as the liability for inmate health, especially if the inmates come from a different county jail.

Essentially the agreement states that Nowata County is still liable for the health of their inmates in the Washington County Jail. Washington County Sheriff Scott Owen did say Monday that the Nowata County Jail inmates have been checked several times for illness. None of the inmates have fallen ill due to the gas leak in the Nowata facility. 4 Nowata jail employees were reported to be hospitalized due to the Thursday incident. While the building has been cleared of carbon monoxide, the inmates remain in the Washington County Jail due to other hazards.

After the Washington County Commissioners approved the agreement, it was sent to Nowata. Though it was approved today, the agreement has been effective since Friday, March 1st and it will last until June 30th, 2019.