§7-1-3m. Authority to employ, fix compensation for and discharge personnel.

In addition to all other powers and duties now conferred by law upon county courts or tribunals in lieu thereof, hereinafter referred to as county courts or courts, such courts are hereby empowered to employ, fix compensation for and discharge such clerical, stenographic, technical, professional and other personnel, including specialists and consultants, as may from time to time be necessary to aid such courts in exercising their powers or discharging their duties as provided by law and including a county administrator, to coordinate the court's activities and to do such other things as the court may direct: Provided, That such courts shall not have the power to employ any such personnel to perform powers and duties that are performed by such courts through their clerks pursuant to law.

The county courts shall, not later than March twenty-eight of each year, take up and consider the probable amount necessary to be expended for such personnel in the following fiscal year; shall determine and fix an aggregate sum to be expended during the following fiscal year for the compensation of such personnel, which shall be reasonable and proper, taking into account the amount of labor and services necessary to be performed by those who are to receive the compensation; and shall make and enter an order stating any action taken in this regard.

The county courts shall file with their clerks a statement in writing showing such action and setting forth the name of each person employed pursuant to the provisions of this section, the time for which employed and the monthly compensation. Such courts shall have authority to discharge at their will and pleasure, any such personnel by filing with their clerks a statement in writing showing such action, to be entered in, and made a part of, their order book or other daily record book. All statements required to be filed by this section shall be verified by the affidavit of a majority of the members of the county court making them, and among other things contained in the affidavit shall be the statement that the amounts shown therein were the amounts actually paid or intended to be paid to each person employed without rebates, or any agreement, understanding and expectation that any part thereof shall be repaid to any of such members making said affidavit, and that nothing has heretofore been paid or promised any of such members making said affidavit on that account, and that if any of such members making said affidavit shall thereafter receive any money, or thing of value, on account thereof, the same will be accounted for and paid to the county. Until the statements required by this section shall have been filed, no allowance or payments shall be made by the county courts for personnel.