The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a reorganization of the Sheriff’s Office, fulfilling one of the goals the sheriff introduced during his campaign for office.

The reorganization is expected to bring a savings of about $250,000 over a 10-year period, according to estimations using the current hourly rates. That does not include overtime and fringe benefit savings.

Freeborn County Sheriff Bob Kindler said he is glad the action was approved, though it had taken a little longer to come to fruition than he had initially hoped.

The proposal came to the commissioners a month ago, but at that time they had voted to table the matter, asking for a workshop to discuss it further.

Kindler said the changes will help the department run more efficiently.

“Now we can move forward,” Kindler said.

The department will include 12 patrol deputies, two patrol sergeants, one detective, two detective/supervisors, one chief deputy and the sheriff.

Kindler said he hoped to name his chief deputy in the next week and a half.

That is a change from having 13 patrol deputies, five detective/supervisors and the sheriff. Under former Sheriff Mark Harig, one of the detective/supervisors acted as chief deputy by title, though this was not a formal position in writing.

Changing one of the detective/supervisors to a deputy was an action approved by all five commissioners; however, the change in some of the other positions was not unanimous.

The chief deputy position was approved 3-2, with Commissioners Mike Lee and Dan Belshan voting against it.

The two patrol seargant positions were approved 4-1, with Belshan voting in opposition.

“This creates more top level administration,” Belshan said. “Growing administration is not what the public expects of good county government.”

Commissioner Glen Mathiason said he voted in favor of the changes because he thinks the sheriff is moving in the right direction.

“I think we ended up with one more patrolman versus a detective, which in my opinion is a good thing,” Mathiason said. “All in all I felt he was moving in the right direction.”