Construction of the new Butler County Prison is back on track after temporarily being derailed by two contractors.

County officials Wednesday reported that Clista Electric and Wayne Crouse, both of Pittsburgh, have relented and will return to the South Washington Street site after initially refusing to do so.

Bill O'Donnell, chief county clerk, said the companies have agreed to resume work for less money than they originally wanted, but more than what was remaining on their contracts.

"We understand they've been signed," O'Donnell said about the new agreements, which will be reviewed today by the county commissioners for their possible approval.

O'Donnell said the contractors are expected to return to the South Washington Street construction site this week.

The firms had wanted roughly an additional $1 million each to resume work on the $40 million project.

Clista, the prime contractor for security wiring and a subcontractor for general electrical work, will return for an extra $250,000.

Crouse, the prime contractor for heating, air conditioning and ventilation, will return for $275,000.

Enders Plumbing & Heating of Kittanning, the prime contractor for fire safety work, later joined the other two companies in wanting more money before accepting an additional $25,000.

Attorney Tom King of the Butler firm Dillon, McCandless, King, Coulter & Graham, who represents the county in legal issues surrounding the project, said an original amount was never officially quantified with Enders.

However, he said Enders, which never left the job despite wanting more money, settled for significantly less than it could have sought.

Under the original agreements, Clista is owed $419,641 for work left on a $3.2 million contract, Crouse has $211,150 on a $2.5 million contract and Enders has $265,314 left on a $2.78 million contract.

O'Donnell said the companies wanted more funds to bring back personnel and equipment to the construction site.

Originally scheduled to be done Oct. 13, 2007, the $40 million project endured numerous delays leading up to the December walk-off of A.G. Cullen Construction, the former general contractor.

Cullen left the job citing a payment dispute with the county.

Rycon Construction was hired in May as the new general contractor.

Following an extensive cleanup of the site, Rycon was delayed in resuming full-scale work due to the absence of Clista and Crouse.

Before this latest delay, Rycon set a new completion date of April 14, 2009.

O'Donnell said there has been no indication that date has to be pushed back.

"We think it could still be achieved," he said.

King and the Pittsburgh firm Burns, White & Hickton negotiated with Clista and Crouse's Cranberry Township attorney, Charles Robinson, to reach a compromise.

King said the amount of the extra compensation was determined by the $536,000 in liquid damages awarded to the county by Travelers Casualty & Surety, Cullen's insurer.

The $14,000 difference will be covered by the county initially.

King said a stipulation of the new agreements is the companies cannot sue Butler County later after settling on these amounts now.

He said the county will seek to get the entire $550,000 back from Travelers.

"We stand a chance of getting the money back," King said.

The contractors also agreed to join Butler County in any future lawsuits filed against Travelers.

Although the county has yet to file any lawsuits over the beleaguered project, it is named as a defendant in three separate complaints, filed by Travelers, Cullen and Cullen's masonry subcontractor, Cost Co. of Forest Hills, Allegheny County.

County Commissioner James Kennedy on Wednesday was pleased to learn about the contractors returning.

Along with praising the county's negotiating team, Kennedy lauded the contractors for working with the county on a deal.

"They were willing to negotiate," he said.

King agreed.

"They wanted to finish the project," he said.

The commissioners were scheduled to vote on the new agreements at 1 p.m. today.