§7-14-6. Powers and duties of commission.

The civil service commission in each such county shall:

(1) Prescribe and enforce rules and regulations for carrying into effect the provisions of this article. All rules and regulations so prescribed may, from time to time, be added to, amended or rescinded.

(2) Keep minutes of its own proceedings and records of its examinations and other official actions. All recommendations of applicants for the position of deputy sheriff received by the commission or by the sheriff shall be kept and preserved for a period of ten years, and all such records, recommendations of former employees excepted, and all written causes of removal, filed with the commission, shall, subject to reasonable rule and regulation, be open to public inspection.

(3) Make investigations, either sitting as a body or through a single commissioner, concerning all matters touching the enforcement and effect of the provisions of this article and the rules and regulations prescribed hereunder or concerning the action of any examiner or subordinate of the commission or any person in the public service with respect to the execution of this article; and, in the course of such investigations, each commissioner shall have the power to administer oaths and affirmations and to take testimony.

(4) Have power to subpoena and require the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and papers pertinent to the investigations and inquiries herein authorized, and examine them and such public records as it shall require, in relation to any matter which it has the authority to investigate. The fee of such witnesses for attendance and travel shall be the same as for witnesses before the circuit courts of this state and shall be paid from the appropriation for the incidental expenses of the commission. All officers in the public service and their deputies, clerks, subordinates and employees shall attend and testify when required to do so by the commission. Any disobedience to, or neglect of, any subpoena issued by the commissioners, or any one of them, to any person, shall be held a contempt of court, and shall be punished by the circuit court of the county in which the civil service commission is located, or the judge thereof in vacation, as if such subpoena had been issued by the court. The judge of the circuit court shall, upon the application of any one commissioner, in any such case, cause the process of that court to issue to compel any person or persons, disobeying or neglecting any such subpoena to appear and to give testimony and produce evidence before the commissioners, or any one of them, and shall have power to punish any such contempt.

(5) Prepare a position classification and promotion plan.

(6) Make an annual report to the county court and sheriff showing its own actions, its rules and regulations, including all exceptions thereto in force, and the practical effects thereof, and any suggestions it may have for the more effectual accomplishment of the purposes of this article. Such report shall be available for public inspection five days after it shall have been delivered to the county court and sheriff.