(a) There shall be established the Baldwin County Personnel Appeals Board. The board shall hear all appeals from final action as requested by an affected employee.

(b) The Baldwin County Personnel Appeals Board shall be composed of five persons who are residents of the county. The members of the board shall be appointed as follows: Two members shall be appointed by the county commission, two members shall be selected by the classified employees using the procedure provided in this section. The fifth member shall be selected by the other four members of the board within 30 days after the four members of the board are selected and take office. In the event the four members of the board cannot agree on a fifth member within 30 days, then the fifth member shall be selected as follows: The members appointed by the county commission shall nominate one person and the members selected by the classified employees shall nominate one person. From these two nominees, the fifth member of the board shall be selected by lot.

(c)(1) The personnel department shall notify all classified employees that nominations for membership on the board will be accepted for a period of 10 work days from that date and instructing all interested classified employees to submit nominations to the Personnel Director of Baldwin County within that period. Nominations shall be limited to persons who are classified employees of the county.

(2) The personnel director shall compile a list of the nominations and cause ballots to be prepared and distributed to all classified employees and shall instruct all classified employees of their right to vote for one name contained on the list of nominees.

(3) The employees shall be instructed to tender their ballots in sealed envelopes to their supervisors within five work days for submission to the personnel director who shall make appropriate arrangements for their tabulation. Upon tabulation of the ballots, the personnel director shall obtain written certification executed by all the county employees who assisted during the counting of the ballots and shall submit the fully executed written certification to the Baldwin County legislative delegation following each election. The certification and ballots shall be retained by the personnel director as public records for 12 months from the date of certification of the results.

(4) In the event that any one employee received a majority of all votes cast, he or she shall be deemed elected to serve on the board. In the event that no employee receives a majority of all votes cast, then the names of the two employees receiving the most votes on the initial ballot shall be placed on a run-off ballot and voted upon by the employees as set forth above. The employee then receiving the most votes shall be deemed elected to membership on the board.

(d) No person who holds elected office, is a candidate for elected office, or receives a salary from the county, except the classified employee board members, shall serve on the board. An employee board member's term shall immediately terminate upon occurrence of any one of the foregoing conditions. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment of a board member as soon as possible after a vacancy occurs. A board member shall be eligible for reappointment to successive terms on the board.

(e) Each member shall serve a three-year term with the exception of the initial members of the board. The initial members shall draw lots to determine two members who shall serve a three-year term, two members who shall serve a two-year term, and one member who shall serve a one-year term.

(f) The board shall follow administrative procedures adopted by the county commission to implement the appeals process. The personnel department shall provide all necessary clerical and administrative support for the board. The board shall meet as needed. Each year, board members shall select from among themselves a chairperson and secretary of the board. Board members may be compensated as established from time to time by the county commission.

(g) All testimony shall be under oath and the board has the power to subpoena witnesses and demand production of relevant documents. The board has the authority to affirm, revise, or amend any previous personnel decisions after a hearing.

(h) The board shall hear all appeals from the final action of the department head with respect to disciplinary action. From any adverse decision of the county commission, the employee shall be entitled to, within seven work days, appeal to the Circuit Court of Baldwin County for a nonjury trial.