PARIS — County commissioners are still determining what employment classification should be given to a volunteer chaplain for the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.

Last month Sheriff Wayne Gallant told commissioners he intended to bring the Rev. Greg Dube, a Catholic priest, on board as the department chaplain.

Dube will be on hand to provide support, comfort and guidance to officers and victims in the aftermath of traumatic incidents.

According to Chief Deputy Hart Daley, the Sheriff’s Office intends to provide Dube with a $1,500 annual lump sum stipend for his service. He will also be provided with a Sheriff’s Office jacket, special badge and baseball cap.

At their meeting last Tuesday, Daley said the stipend would be paid from the department’s reserve officer account, which is under budget this year. The department budgeted $10,000 in the reserve account for 2014.

Daley said the amount of the stipend was “extremely fair,” considering Dube may be called out to assist deputies at all hours of the day and night and may be dealing with serious traumatic scenes.

Commissioners are still debating how the county will classify Dube’s services, however.

If Dube is paid for his services, the county has to classify him as a part-time employee unless he has a contract with commissioners, noted County Administrator Scott Cole.

A contract could help iron out any complications with Dube’s service, including protecting the county from workers compensation liability if he is injured while working with the Sheriff’s Office or while traveling to a call in his own vehicle, said Annalee Rosenblatt, a labor consultant contracted by the commissioners.

Rosenblatt said she could share a similar chaplain contract from another agency with Cole and Gallant and see where changes may need to be made to fit the county’s needs.

Commission Chairman David Duguay said he only opposed the stipend because even though there are enough funds in the reserve officer account to support the position, it is still an unbudgeted expense. Earlier in the meeting, Duguay warned department heads against unplanned costs, noting commissioners will probably need to dig into the county’s cash reserves to cover budget overages this year.

Commissioners intend to discuss Dube’s position at their meeting next month.

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