Butler County will generate more revenue from housing federal inmates thanks to an increased fee.

The county prison board Tuesday set a new housing rate of $76 a day for each federal inmate.

Out of 323 inmates housed in the prison as of Tuesday, eight were federal prisoners.

County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, prison board chairman, said in an interview the new rate better reflects the expenses incurred from holding federal inmates.

“It’s made it a lot more realistic than what it has been in the past,” he said.

Warden Rich Gigliotti said the $76 rate offered by the U.S. Marshals Service to the county would be the highest among surrounding counties, such as Allegheny and Beaver.

Gigliotti said in an interview he will negotiate with a federal representative to set a date the new rate takes effect.

“I would request for it to be made effective at the earliest opportunity,” he said.

Until then, the county will continue receiving $54 a day for each federal inmate.

Since January, the county was paid a total of $55,026 for housing federal inmates.

The daily rate doesn’t include costs from deputies transporting those inmates to the hospital for medical treatment.

The county is reimbursed for such additional expenses.

Along with eight federal inmates, there were 25 state prisoners in the prison as of Tuesday.

The county charges the state Department of Corrections a daily rate of $60 to house each state inmate.

The state doesn’t permit counties to assess supplemental costs for housing inmates, so its rate is lower than the federal one.

Since January, the county was paid a total of $256,860 for housing state prisoners.

The county is preparing to open the third floor of the South Washington Street prison once the state commits to sending enough inmates to offset the expense of additional full-time correction officers.

Gigliotti has hired 16 of 20 new part-time posts that can be transitioned into full-time status later.

To open one of the third floor’s idle inmate pods, 12 new full-timers are needed.