The executive officer shall be appointed solely on the basis of his administrative and executive abilities and qualifications. The executive officer and designated deputies shall serve at the pleasure of the south coast district board, and shall receive such compensation as is determined by the south coast district board.

The south coast district board may delegate duties to the executive officer as it deems appropriate. The executive officer shall perform and discharge, under the direction and control of the south coast district board, the powers, duties, purposes, functions, and jurisdiction vested in the south coast district board and delegated pursuant to this section.

Any power, duty, purpose, function, or jurisdiction which the south coast district board may lawfully delegate is conclusively presumed to have been delegated to the executive officer unless it is shown that the south coast district board, by affirmative vote recorded in its minutes, specifically has reserved the particular power, duty, purpose, function, or jurisdiction for its own action.

The south coast district shall appoint a legal counsel who is admitted to the practice of law in this state.

All officers and employees of the south coast district, other than members of the south coast district board, are entitled to the benefits of the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450), Part 3, Division 4, Title 3 of the Government Code).

When any person is employed by the south coast district, whose immediate prior employer was the Southern California Air Pollution Control District, for the purpose of, but not limited to, retirement benefits, salary rates, seniority, and all fringe benefits, all his time of employment with that district, and his time of employment, if any, with the county, a county district, or both, whose authority, functions, and responsibilities have been assumed by that district if such employment was immediately prior to employment with the Southern California Air Pollution Control District, shall be considered as time of employment with the south coast district.

Upon transfer to the south coast district, employees shall retain all their accumulated sick leave, vacation, and retirement benefits.

The south coast district may contract for such professional assistance as may be necessary or convenient for the exercise of duties imposed on the south coast district.