The Butler County commissioners Monday awarded a $191,679 contract to Shields Asphalt & Paving of Valencia to pave a parking lot for the new county prison.

The lot, which was created by razing six homes along Vogely Street, netted the county space for 54 parking stalls.

Combined with space for 38 stalls at the former Craftsmen-Ziegler Printing site, the six properties provide the 92 spaces needed to meet city zoning requirements.

Because of budgetary constraints, the commissioners did not accept the $145,200 alternate bid to pave the gravel lot at the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Butler Township.

County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, board chairman, said there is an insufficient amount left from the $50 million bond used to fund the overall prison project for paving the second lot.

Commissioner Jim Lokhaiser said the Sunnyview lot, which is outside the office of District Judge Kevin O'Donnell, needs paved and should be whenever the county can afford to do so.

Shields' bid was nearly $10,000 less than the bid of competitor Wiest Asphalt Products & Paving of Summit Township.

The new prison was fully operational at the end of June.

The Housing Authority in May bought the six properties totaling 15,580 square feet for $327,800 on behalf of the county.

The commissioners Wednesday will vote on buying the land from the authority.

Although the deadline for a group of Merchant Marines to accept or reject offers by the county for separate recognition on a World War II memorial has passed, there will be more time to make that decision.The commissioners will vote Wednesday to grant the mariners' request for a deadline extension to Oct. 15.Pinkerton previously offered the mariners their own plaque in the government center or their own memorial in Diamond Park. But the mariners insist a separate plaque honoring them should be placed on the existing memorial in the park.The mariners already are included on a plaque listing about 30 military-related services on the back of the memorial.

The county will try again to resolve contract issues with workers at the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.The next negotiation will be Oct. 16 at the nursing home.About 200 union employees are working under the terms of a contract that expired Nov. 30.