More than a week after 19 new hires began training to become correction officers in the new Butler County prison, the hiring policy was changed.

The county prison board Tuesday set a new policy requiring approval from the prison board and county commissioners before anyone is offered employment at the prison.

The commissioners on May 6 ratified the 19 hirings two days after they began training.

Warden Rich Gigliotti hired the people before May 4.

Although the commissioners on May 6 ratified the hirings, they questioned some of the choices.

Ten of the 19 new hires are related to county or court employees, including county judges Timothy McCune and Michael Yeager.

Along with Yeager's wife and McCune's sister-in-law, the son of chief county clerk Bill O'Donnell's cousin was hired.

The remaining seven are related to county workers who don't hold supervisory positions.

Nearly 300 people applied for the posts.

Under county policy, an employee cannot be supervised or have a time sheet signed by a relative.

Despite state law stipulating that the prison board hires prison staff, that authority previously was delegated to the board of commissioners.

The new policy now requires both boards' approval.

Commissioner James Kennedy, who abstained from the May 6 vote, said the hiring can't be left solely to the prison board.

He said prison board members did not share his displeasure over who was hired earlier this month.

"There was no appetite to have a correction to what was done," Kennedy said.

Kennedy last week expressed concern about relatives of judges working in a prison.

Gigliotti last week defended the choices, saying they met the qualifications.

According to county policy, applicants neither qualify for a job nor are eliminated from consideration due to a relative already being employed by the county.

In addition to the dual approval, the county personnel office will be involved in the interviewing and hiring process under the new policy.

Gigliotti said in an interview the personnel department already was involved in the process.