The Big Island mayor and a state senator yesterday questioned the potential public safety implications of the Lingle administration's possible layoff of the entire staff at Kulani Correctional Facility, a minimum-security prison in Hilo.

About 80 Kulani staff members have been told they are on the list of 1,100 state workers targeted for layoff because of the state's budget deficit. The 160-bed facility provides vocational training for male prisoners who are about to complete their sentences and also serves as the primary location for the state's sex-offender treatment program.

Gov. Linda Lingle confirmed yesterday that Kulani staff are on the layoff list but would not comment on the prison's future. The governor said she could have an announcement in the next few days.

"The plans announced by prison officials to the Kulani staff this week have serious economic and public safety implications for the Big Island, and the governor owes it to this community to explain how she will mitigate the impact of this decision," Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi said in a statement.

"We are deeply concerned about the welfare of the employees who will be put out of work, and Hawai'i Island residents have every reason to wonder what will become of the inmates now at Kulani prison.

"While Gov. Lingle clearly has the authority to close state facilities, she also has an obligation to address the impacts of her decisions. It troubles me that this alarming proposal was announced only to the prison staff, while the community and elected officials of Hawai'i Island have been excluded from the discussion."

State Sen. Will Espero, D-20th ('Ewa Beach, Waipahu), chairman of the Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee, said he is aware of discussions by the Lingle administration about Kulani and believes an announcement could come tomorrow.

"Public safety, of course, must not be jeopardized in any way," Espero said. "Since this is not only a minimum-security prison, it's where the sexual offender program is located, we need to look at the plans on how they are going to accommodate the population of Kulani at the other prisons if they are looking at closing Kulani.

"That's the main thing right there. What is the contingency plan? What is the plan to deal with the inmates?"

There are about 120 inmates at the prison.

According to the state Department of Public Safety, Kulani opened as a work camp in 1946. Vocational training programs at the prison, which sits on 20 acres, used to focus on agriculture but now deal with mechanical repair and maintenance, construction, heavy-equipment operation and computer work.

The potential layoffs at Kulani were first reported by KITV on Tuesday. The layoff list was provided on Monday to the Hawai'i Government Employees Association and the United Public Workers, two of the four public-sector labor unions.

Lingle told reporters yesterday that any decision the administration makes on Kulani staff or other layoffs would not affect public safety.

Lingle asked for patience while the administration and unions negotiate over labor cuts to help close a $786 million deficit through June 2011.

"Obviously, there's anxiety and uncertainty on the part of our employees, and I regret that that occurs during this process. But it really is a process," she said.

The governor said both sides want to get the new contracts resolved and "we believe that there is a point that we can come together and reach a good decision for both sides."

"I'm confident of that and I think they are as well."