Ala. Code § 33-1-3

The chief executive officer of the port authority shall be known as the Director of the Alabama State Port Authority. The director may not have any financial interest in any harbor facilities or property that the port authority or its predecessors have acquired or may acquire or manage, and may not have any financial or personal interest in any business or enterprise of any sort which interferes or is inconsistent with his or her duties as director. The duties of the director shall be as follows:

(1) Exercise the chief executive authority of the port authority, and exercise, consistent with this chapter and other applicable law, all the powers, authority, and duties vested by this chapter or other applicable law in the port authority.

(2) Appoint, with the advice and consent of the board of directors of the port authority, no more than 11 individuals as executive level employees. These individuals shall be non-merit system employees and may replace current Merit System executive level employees who retire or otherwise leave the employment of the port authority. The director shall fix the salaries of these non-merit system executive level employees, giving due consideration to the salaries of comparable positions in other states and in private industries. These non-merit system executive level employees, though not participants in the classified service of the state under the Merit System Act, shall be entitled to the other benefits, including, but not limited to, retirement, sick and annual leave, and insurance benefits afforded other state employees, except that the board of directors of the port authority may provide and fund an alternate benefit package for them. Regardless of whether the port authority funds an alternate benefit package, the port authority shall pay to the State Employees’ Insurance Fund the monthly employer contribution as defined by Section 36-29-1 for each of its non-merit system executive level employees.

(3) Employ, with the advice and consent of the board of directors of the port authority, all individuals necessary to the efficient operation of the port authority, including a secretary-treasurer and other employees as Merit System or non-merit system employees , fix their compensation and other conditions of employment and tenure in office, and be responsible for the efficient discharge of their duties. Any non-merit system employees employed under this section, though not participants in the classified service of the state under the state Merit System, shall be entitled to the other benefits, including, but not limited to, retirement, sick and annual leave, and insurance benefits afforded other state employees, except that the board of directors of the port authority may provide and fund an alternate benefit package for them. Regardless of whether the port authority funds an alternate benefit package for them, the port authority shall pay to the State Employees’ Insurance Fund the monthly employer contribution as defined by Section 36-29-1 for each of its full-time non-merit system employees.