PARIS — After 27 years of assisting in the operations of Oxford County, the outgoing county administrator is ready to take it easy.

Several county employees and officials stopped by Carole Fulton’s office Thursday morning to wish her well on her last day with the county.

Scott Cole, who most recently served as the town manager of Bethel, has been hired to replace her.

“Every day is different, because you’re dealing with so many different aspects,” Fulton said. “Nothing is ever the same here when you come in to work.”

Fulton grew up in Rocky Mount, N.C., and later moved to Washington, D.C. There, she worked for two years for the CIA, and 13 years for the American Chemical Society. She moved to Lovell in 1977 and worked for four years for attorney Rupert Aldrich, who was also the county clerk and a developer for the Evergreen Valley ski area in Stoneham at the time.

Fulton began working as the country administrator in 1982. She said the county originally had 30 employees and a budget of $980,000. Since then, the county’s payroll has increased to 70 employees and next year’s budget is projected $6,882,922 in expenses and $4,697,561 in revenues. Nine different county commissioners and three sheriffs have been in office since Fulton began working for the county.

The county buildings have also undergone a number of changes during her tenure. Fulton said the Registry of Deeds West office in Fryeburg was expanded, a sand and salt shed was constructed in Albany, and hanger expansion and runway rehabilitation projects were undertaken at the Oxford County Regional Airport in Oxford.

At the courthouse building where Fulton works, the old jail was converted into a meeting space for commissioners and the former commissioners’ room was converted into the probate court. The Registry of Deeds East was expanded, the basement improved to store records, an elevator installed, and the entire building rewired and outfitted with an alarm system.

Fulton also recalled a decision to take four miles of road in Northern Oxford County by eminent domain to allow sportsmen access to Mooselookmeguntic Lake from within the county. When the National Guard did work on the Twin Bridges in Riley Township, she and the commissioners were flown over the area in a helicopter.

“That was neat,” Fulton said. “I don’t know if they do that anymore, but that was a strange experience.”

Fulton said she once read that county administrators serve as the eyes and ears of the commissioners and keep them apprised of situations in the county. She credited the commissioners for their support and for their actions leading to the improvements, as well as the assistance of professional consultants.

It took Fulton some time to adjust to the colder Maine climates, but she said she was advised by a friend that she needed to find a way to make the winters fun. To that end, she learned how to ski and go snowmobiling.

“I don’t think you can really enjoy winters up here unless you have a sport,” she said.

Fulton and her husband will be taking a break from the winter activities this year. She said they will be moving to Florida and returning to their home in New Hampshire in the summer.

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Carole Fulton, who has worked as the county administrator for Oxford County for 27 years, retired at the end of 2009.