(1) After the establishment of a city-county health department as provided in KRS 212.640, the city-county board of health shall appoint a health officer, subject to the approval of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Other persons necessary for the work of the city-county health department shall be appointed in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as are other county health department employees.
(2) Any city health department employee who is covered by a pension fund for civil service employees, as authorized by KRS 90.400 or any other section of the Kentucky Revised Statutes, prior to the consolidation of the city-county health department, may elect to continue such coverage thereafter in lieu of electing coverage under the Kentucky Employees Retirement System, KRS 61.510 to 61.705; provided, however, that all new employees of such consolidated city-county health department shall thereafter be covered by the Kentucky Employees Retirement System.