(a) In Etowah County, there shall be three part-time deputy district attorneys. The part-time deputy district attorneys shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the district attorney, shall perform such duties as the district attorney shall direct, and each shall receive as compensation for his or her services a salary to be determined by the district attorney payable from funds appropriated to his or her office.
(b) The district attorney of the county is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint, in addition to the part-time deputy district attorneys hereinabove provided, a fourth part-time deputy district attorney, if such an additional officer would in the judgment of the district attorney be in the best interest of the administration of criminal justice.
(c) The District Attorney in Etowah County, in the event of a vacancy in any of the above part-time deputy district attorney positions, is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint one full-time deputy district attorney in lieu of one part-time deputy district attorney. The full-time deputy district attorney shall serve at the pleasure of the district attorney, shall perform such duties as the district attorney shall direct, and shall receive as compensation for his or her services a salary to be determined by the district attorney payable from funds appropriated to his or her office.