Butler County taxpayers cannot be happy about new disclosures calling for more spending at the new prison.

The latest revelations are that additional staffing needs tied to the new facility could cost the county an estimated $1.5 million annually over what the county currently is paying for prison staffing. Meanwhile, the project's construction manager and architect apparently will be submitting new bills because completion of the prison is behind schedule.

The contracts of the construction manager and architect currently run through Oct. 13, which was the date stipulated in construction pacts for the prison's completion. The current completion date is projected to be April 16, 2008.

The cost for the additional prison staffing was calculated by county Controller Jack McMillin based on Warden Rich Gigliotti's estimate that the new prison would need 27 additional employees over the number currently staffing the county's two prison facilities.

While much of the $1.5 million will be recouped by way of no longer having to pay to house excess prisoners in other counties' prisons, what could have been a significant savings for the taxpayers will instead be significantly reduced or eliminated by the extra staffing costs.

The estimates from McMillin and Gigliotti have been disputed by William O'Donnell, county chief clerk, who said the projections are too high. However, Sheriff Dennis Rickard maintains that Gigliotti's staffing estimate is too low.

During the past year or so, the estimated cost of the prison project has increased to $40 million from the initial figure of $30 million. However, Commissioner Glenn Anderson said Wednesday that the project's cost definitely would be more than $40 million.

But he said his vote to build the prison in downtown Butler rather than near the Sunnyview Nursing Home would be proven correct over the long run because of savings that would be derived from having the prison close to the courthouse.

The latest increased-cost disclosures make it even more important that the county exercise its contract option to penalize contractors for the delay in the prison's completion.