Supervisors OK Funds to Complete Prison

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has authorized the expenditure of an additional $2.7 million to complete work at a 2,800-inmate prison near Castaic, which fell a year behind schedule because of toilets that would not flush and security doors that would not open.

In addition, the supervisors authorized $298,000 for additional construction management services, $189,000 for more construction staff and $67,000 for inspection of the facility’s electronic control system.

The maximum-security prison on the grounds of the Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho was originally budgeted for $131 million. Authorities had hoped the high-tech jail would ease the county’s inmate overcrowding last spring, but it will not be completed until at least mid-February.