(a) The DeKalb County Commission shall employ a county engineer, who shall be a thoroughly qualified and competent, licensed professional civil engineer, possessing all of the qualifications as specified for county engineers under the general laws of the State of Alabama. The engineer shall reside within DeKalb County during his or her employment.
(b) The county commission shall fix the amount of the salary of the county engineer in an amount to be determined by the county commission and as approved by the State Department of Transportation as appropriate for experience, training, and education. The compensation shall be paid in equal monthly payments from the county gasoline tax or road and highway funds as appropriate.
(c) The employment of the county engineer shall be made by contract to include all terms and requirements addressed within this section and shall fully disclose all salaries, raises, benefits, and other terms and include the conditions under which the county may cancel or otherwise invalidate the contract which reasons shall not be less than the reasons any other county employee may be terminated. Salary and increases may be according to state approved amounts and guidelines. No salary or increase shall be included in excess of amounts as approved as appropriate for the experience, training, and education according to the current Department of Transportation guidelines. The contract shall not be made for duration of term to extend more than one year beyond the current or present term of county commissions and the contract shall not provide for automatic renewal.
(d) Before entering into his or her duties, the county engineer shall make and enter into a surety bond in an amount of not less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or a greater amount as may be fixed by the county commission, payable to DeKalb County, conditioned for the faithful discharge and performance of his or her duties as engineer, and for the faithful accounting of all monies or property of the county, which may come into his or her possession or custody. The bond shall be executed by a surety company authorized and qualified to do business in the State of Alabama and shall be approved by the county commission. The premiums shall be paid by the county.
(e) It shall be the duty of the engineer to accomplish the engineering, design, and monitoring of road construction, bridge construction and maintenance, and other duties as may require the oversight of a licensed engineer or as may be determined by the county commission or of the State Department of Transportation, from time to time.
(f) In the event of an emergency in which it is impossible or the county commission is otherwise unable to employ an engineer, as hereinabove provided, the county commission shall employ a competent road supervisor who need not be an engineer, but, when so employed, he or she shall have all the duties and authority of the engineer and be subject to this section; but, an emergency shall not exist so long as the State Director of Transportation may nominate an engineer who shall accept employment by the board under the terms of this section. It is the intention of this section to provide that a qualified professional civil engineer be employed by the county and it is the duty of the commission to make all diligent efforts to accomplish this intent.
(g) The county commission may assign the engineer to supervise and otherwise direct the operation of the county road department.
(h) The county commission shall determine terms, policies, conditions, rules, regulations, set spending limitations, set personnel limitations, or require approvals or other procedures as may be deemed necessary for the operation and objectives within the county road department.