AUBURN – Former Register of Probate John Cleveland and Probate Judge Robert L. Couturier met with the new County Commission on Monday to make their plea for a new full-time register, whomever it may be.

In November – one day after the election – Register of Probate-elect Leonard Bartel submitted his resignation. Bartel apologized, saying he’d been offered a new full-time job.

Cleveland, who left the post on Dec. 31, argued that the register’s job also needs to be full time.

Androscoggin County is the only one in Maine that has a part-time register, paid with a $15,552 per-year salary.

Until the 1980s, the position had been full-time here, too. However, a register during that period wanted to take on another job and asked that the position be cut. Commissioners agreed.

“When I started, it hadn’t been managed in 20 years,” said Cleveland, who took office in 1999. Some archiving had been ignored for more than a decade, he said.

During his 10-year tenure, Cleveland said he worked as little as 25 hours a week and as much as 60 hours.

“I worked when it was necessary to get the job done,” Cleveland said.

And the county office grew.

The office, which handles wills, adoptions and passports, is one of the busier probates in Maine. Besides the part-time register, there are two full-time staffers and a part-time archivist.

Only four of Maine’s 16 counties – York, Cumberland, Penobscot and Kennebec – handle more cases.

None of the others support themselves.

The office takes in about $140,000 in revenue, more than it costs to run it. The income comes from fees.

Cleveland recommended a boost in the job’s salary to $35,000.

Couturier plans to appoint a replacement as soon as the commission decides which way it wishes to go, he said.

A decision won’t be made until Jan. 28 at the earliest, Commissioner Jonathan LaBonte said. The budget with the new salary cannot be finalized until at least that time.

One thing is certain: The new register will not be Cleveland.

“I’ve given 10 years to the job,” he said. “That’s it. I’m done.”