AUBURN – Androscoggin County’s new commission – Elaine Makas, Randall Greenwood and Jonathan LaBonte – plan to examine the payroll of two top positions when they begin work next week.

On Wednesday, Greenwood and LaBonte were scheduled to be sworn-in in separate ceremonies. They will follow Makas – who was appointed by Gov. Baldacci to succeed Helen Poulin – by only two weeks.

In a workshop scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5, the three will consider whether the part-time job of register of probate ought to be a full-time position. They will also look at the pay scale for the Sheriff Department’s chief deputy, the No. 2 job in the department.

The chief deputy’s job is empty.

Four-and-a-half months after taking the job, Michael Ward left last week to return to his old department, Oxford police, as a detective for more money.

His predecessor, Eric Samson, served as acting chief deputy for more than a year, but vacated the position when county commissioners offered a salary roughly $10,000 less than what he was making as a sergeant.

The chief deputy’s job pays on a scale of $33,332 to $42,224 per year.

The 2009 scale makes Androscoggin’s chief the lowest paid in Maine, according to information gathered by Sheriff Guy Desjardins.

The next lowest is in Oxford County, where the chief makes $45,182. Franklin County’s chief makes $49,342. The highest paid is in Cumberland County, where the chief makes $83,591, according to Desjardins.

A Sun Journal survey of 2008 salaries conducted last spring found similar numbers.

Desjardins said he needs some salary help to hire a qualified person. He hasn’t set a salary goal, though.

“I’m not going in with any particular figure,” Desjardins said. “We need to do something.”

Similarly, the role of the register of probate has come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks.

A new register was elected on Nov. 4.

A day later, Register of Deeds-elect Leonard Bartel submitted his resignation. Bartel apologized, saying he’d been offered a new full-time job.

The register’s job is budgeted as a part-time job, paying a salary of $15,552 per year.