(a) The composition of the Sheriff's Department of Marengo County shall include no less than five deputies and one chief deputy; and any increase in deputy personnel shall be approved by the Marengo County Commission.
(b)(1) The deputies shall receive the same compensation as a trooper with the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency and the compensation shall be adjusted on the anniversary date of the deputies' employment to include any raises, including cost-of-living raises that state troopers receive after or have received at the beginning of this fiscal year. The deputies shall be placed in the same step bracket as a trooper with the same length of service and shall automatically receive step raises according to their length of service. It shall be the responsibility of the sheriff to provide the clerk of the county commission with a trooper pay scale chart and to keep the commission informed of any change. The commission shall approve or disapprove any cost-of-living pay raises provided by this section based on the availability of funds.
(2) The raises which the deputies receive pursuant to this subsection shall not result in the compensation of the deputies exceeding the compensation of the sheriff.
(c) The chief deputy shall receive seventy-five dollars ($75) per month more than the highest-paid deputy.
(d) The composition and compensation of the clerical staff and jail personnel shall be approved by the Marengo County Commission.