There is hereby established in any county having a population of more than one hundred thousand (100,000) and not more than one hundred sixty thousand (160,000) and any county having a population of more than three hundred thousand (300,000) a personnel advisory board to consist of the following members:
As soon as practicable after his or her appointment, said personnel officer shall establish, with the advice and recommendations of said advisory board, a comprehensive county employee job classification and merit rating system. It shall be the purpose of such system to establish minimum qualifications for all positions and job classifications specified in such system, but nothing herein shall be construed as affecting the authority of any elected officer of such county, or of the head of any department created therein, to make the final decision with respect to the retention or dismissal of any employee of such officer or department who holds such position on the effective date of such classification system; nor shall this act impair the authority of any such officer or department head to accept or reject job applicants, subject only to the minimum qualifications established for any such position.
K.S.A. 19-4301