(a) The commissioner shall obtain from the State Merit System of Personnel Administration a register of qualified applicants for the position of county director. Each county board of family and children services, upon procuring from the commissioner that register, shall recommend from that register to the commissioner of human resources one or more names for appointment to the position of county director. The commissioner is designated as the appointing authority for the department and may accept or reject any such recommendation.

(b) The county director shall give bond for the faithful performance of his duties and the faithful accounting of all moneys coming into his hands as such county director, in such a manner and under such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the Department of Human Resources.