A contract that will bring up to 80 federal inmates to the Freeborn County jail was made official Wednesday between Freeborn County and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Inmates are expected to begin arriving at the jail in early April, Freeborn County Sheriff Mark Harig said Thursday. The additional inmates will help the jail reach its licensed capacity of 122 inmates.

Harig said he has been working on the proposal with ICE officials for several months.

This is the first federal inmate proposal in Minnesota in five years.

To accommodate the additional inmates, the Freeborn County commissioners last week approved additional staff positions including:

Security staff: Nine new positions hired effective immediately.

 Transportation officers: Four new positions hired after May 15.

 Programming staff: Two new positions hired after May 15.

 Clerical staff: One new position hired effective immediately.

 Maintenance staff: One new position hired after May 15.

Current team leader positions will also be reclassified to sergeants, and the current assistant administrator will be reclassified to administrator, both effective immediately.

During a Freeborn County commissioners meeting last week, Administrator John Kluever said personnel are expected to cost about $618,000 a year, not including transport drivers, who are reimbursed by the federal government.

The overall cost is estimated at $750,000, including costs for things such as transporting vans, additional mattresses and uniforms, he said.