The salary of the county health officer shall be fixed by the appropriate merit system, and shall be payable from funds available to the county for this purpose; provided, that in those counties in which a budget has been provided and agreed upon by the state, county or other contributing agencies, it may be paid out of said budget, by or under the direction of the State Board of Health, as other claims are paid out of said budget.
Ala. Code § 22-3-6 (1975)