The county commission shall be authorized to appoint a county engineer or chief engineer of the division of public roads who shall serve full time in such capacity for the county and the amount of whose salary shall be such sum as may be fixed by the said county commission payable in equal monthly installments from county funds available for that purpose when properly entered into the minutes of the county commission. Consulting engineers and/or consulting firms acting in the capacity as county engineer or chief engineer of the division of public roads shall not be permitted. The county may enter into a contract of employment of appointment to office of said engineer for a period of time not to exceed five years.
Ala. Code § 11-6-1 (1975)