Oxford County Chief Deputy James Urquhart speaks Thursday to Oxford County Commissioners Timothy Turner of Buckfield, left, David Duguay of Byron, center, and Steven Merrill of Norway at the county building in South Paris. Urquhart requested permission to hire two part-time deputies, which commissioners approved. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

PARIS — Oxford County Jail inmates will be housed at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland while the HVAC system is replaced at the jail and county Regional Communications Center building, Jail Administrator Dana Dillingham told commissioners Thursday.

The agreement, which the county is calling a resident relocation/storage contract, is expected to begin in early March.

The building on Western Avenue in the midst of a major HVAC upgrade. The jail will have to close for three to six months because power needs to be turned off during part of the work, Dillingham said.

During that time, correction officers will largely work in transport, bringing inmates back-and-forth between the Portland facility and the courthouse, or other administrative sessions in Paris.

The contract requires Oxford County to pay $85 per day for each inmate housed in the Cumberland County Jail, Dillingham said.

There were 36 inmates at the Paris jail Thursday morning, but there were over 50 a couple of weeks ago.

In other business, commissioners agreed to post the vacancy for county administrator to fill the position held by Donald Durrah who died unexpectedly Nov. 1. The job will be posted for 30 days and applications are due by March 1.

The board will also post an opening for a Magalloway Plantation Transfer Station attendant to work  Sundays for two to four hours.

Jessica Flanders was hired as a payroll and finance assistant, while Bryce Walker and Cory Smith were hired as part-time deputies in the Sheriff’s Office.