NEW ENGLAND - A new group of inmates arrived at the state's new women's prison here after months of delays and the forced retirement of the facility's former administrator.

The 15 prisoners arrived at the former Roman Catholic convent and boarding school at about 10:40 a.m. Wednesday.

State corrections officials expect to move another 14 women from the James River Correctional Center in Jamestown later this week.

The women's prison, run by a group of six southwestern counties, has had problems in meeting its contract with the state since lawmakers endorsed sending prisoners to the facility last year.

The prison was expected to begin taking prisoners in August but did not do so until mid-November, when 64 women were transferred to New England.

Norbert Sickler, the prison's former administrator, missed deadlines of Jan. 1, April 1 and June 1 for full occupancy before agreeing last month to retire early.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has pressed New England officials to take custody of the new inmates because of crowding at the Jamestown prison.

Corrections Director Elaine Little said the move allows more room for a growing population of men at the James River Correctional Center.

Little said the transfer also is a relief for prison officials who have struggled to maintain separate facilities for men and women prisoners.

"Overall, it will be a better environment for the men at the JRCC and a better environment for the women at the (New England prison)."

The women were awakened at about 4 a.m. Wednesday and told to pack for the move.

"This is something that's been coming for a long time. They've been expecting it," said Stewart Baumgartner, a unit manager at the Jamestown prison.

Duane Wolf, the president of the women's prison board, was one of the few officials told about the transfer. Corrections officials said they kept the details secret for security reasons.

"I'm real excited about it, that we got to this next phase," Wolf said. "We're glad the state worked with us through some of these issues that we were having."

Wolf led the prison's board last month in drafting an early retirement agreement for Sickler, who faced mounting criticism from lawmakers and others for the delays.

Sickler will be paid more than $62,000 in salary, vacation and sick leave and receive some continuing insurance benefits.

Officials say they do not know how much renovating the women's prison building has cost. The prison's board has hired an accountant to review its finances.

In mid-June, Sickler projected the facility's 2004 renovations would cost nearly $490,000.

Information from: The Dickinson Press, http://www.thedickinsonpress.com