24 V.S.A. § 176

A county clerk may, subject to the approval of the assistant judges, appoint one or more deputies who may perform the duties of clerk for whose acts he or she shall be responsible and whose deputations he or she may revoke at pleasure. A record of the appointments shall be made in the office of the clerk. In case of the death of the clerk or his or her inability to act, the deputy or deputies in order of appointment shall perform the duties of the office until a clerk is appointed. In case of the suspension of the clerk's duties as a condition of release pending trial for violating 13 V.S.A. § 2537, the assistant judges of the county shall appoint a person to perform the duties of the office until the charge of violating 13 V.S.A. § 2537 is resolved. The compensation for the clerk and deputy clerk shall be fixed by the assistant judges and paid for by the county. Such compensation may include such employment benefits as are presently provided to State employees, including health insurance, life insurance, and pension plan, the expense for which shall be borne by the county and the employees.