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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Beaver County Commission has rejected a resignation offer from its sheriff, who has acknowledged that he used inmate labor on a home remodeling project, according to county commissioners.
Beaver County Sheriff Kenneth Yardley offered his resignation at a closed meeting in February and informed the commission about his use of inmates, Commissioner Chad Johnson told The Salt Lake Tribune.
The commission rejected Yardley's offer because he has not been charged with any crime, Commissioner Mark Whitney told the paper.
"He's our county sheriff, and I think he's a good sheriff, and I don't think he's done anything wrong," Whitney said. "I'll stand toe to toe for the sheriff. I really will. I'm certainly not going to make accusations based on rumors."
Two former inmates at the Beaver County jail have claimed Yardley in 2000 removed them from the jail to work on remodeling his house. A third former inmate claimed Yardley had an inappropriate relationship with another inmate.
The FBI is investigating the allegation but so far has declined comment. Yardley has declined comment, too.
Not-yet-approved commission minutes indicate a closed Feb. 6 meeting was held at the commission's chambers in the town of Beaver with the three commissioners, Yardley, Beaver County Attorney Von Christiansen, the county clerk and the commission's assistant.
In that meeting, Johnson said, Yardley acknowledged using inmates at his house. But commissioners didn't feel that was enough to warrant the sheriff's resignation.
Yardley's action's were "serious," Johnson said, "and we've had that discussion with him that it was probably not an appropriate thing to do, and I think he agrees with us now, on hindsight, that it was not an appropriate thing to do, but all of us make mistakes."
Johnson added that Yardley has done a good job for 19 years.
County sheriffs in Utah are elected and don't need permission from county commissioners to resign. By state statute, the commission would choose the sheriff's replacement until the next election.
Yardley's term expires this year. Prior to news of the FBI investigation, he announced he would not seek re-election.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
