The Butler County Prison may open one of two closed inmate pods to make a profit.

Warden Rick Shaffer said at the prison board meeting Tuesday that the cost to pay for an additional 11 officers to man an eighth pod would be more than offset by housing more out-of-county prisoners.

“At this point, maybe consider opening another pod if we can generate revenue,” Shaffer told the prison board.

The county is negotiating with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to house parole violators.

As of Tuesday, there were 34 standard state inmates in the prison.

Within the last month, the prison started housing inmates from Fayette County.

As of Tuesday, 37 out of the Butler prison’s total 386 inmates were from Fayette.

The county charges the state and Fayette a daily rate of $60 per prisoner.

According to Shaffer, the county would be paid a total of $1.3 million annually factoring in the $60 daily rate.

He said subtracting the estimated $770,000 cost to employ 11 more full-timers still leaves the county a $544,000 profit.

County Controller Jack McMillin, a prison board member, pointed out the $770,000 is what the expense would be this each year. The costs would increase next year.

Shaffer stressed the opening of an eighth pod would be profitable if the state committed to maintaining a minimum number of inmates in Butler.

Shaffer said any open beds in the eighth pod could be filled with additional Fayette and federal inmates.

The county charges a daily rate of $76 for federal inmates, which numbered 38 in the Butler prison as of Tuesday.

Additional profit could come from housing state parole violators. The county is asking the state to pay a daily rate of $70 for those prisoners.

Shaffer said the prison board should consider its options now before the state needs to find homes for parole violators.

“We’re not at this stage yet,” he said. “Just something to consider.”

County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, prison board chairman, said in an interview the pivotal step before opening another pod is receiving a commitment from the state.

“The only way we would consider doing that is we want a guarantee from the state ... or it would not make sense,” Pinkerton said.

He said the state would have to not only agree to sending more inmates, but commit to leaving them here.

Sheriff Mike Slupe, who also sits on the board, agreed.

Slupe commended Shaffer for keeping informed of potential revenue.

“I appreciate the fact that the warden is looking to help bring money into the county,” he said. “Long-term planning needs to be an integral part of the process.”

Along with prison board approval to open an eighth pod, the county salary board’s blessing would be required to create new jobs.