Section 15-7-406 - Agents, servants and employees(a) The board shall make all appointments and hire all agents, servants and employees of the departments, fix their compensation and determine their qualifications, considering only the relative capacity of applicants, their moral, physical and health qualifications and when appropriate, their qualifications for manual labor. All appointments shall be made on the basis of merit alone, and no appointment may be made on account of political services or affiliations. All agents, servants and employees shall hold their offices at the board's pleasure. (b) The board may delegate the authority to hire, promote, transfer, demote and discharge its employees to a director of utilities, if one is appointed.