(a) In the event that the county court or county judge thereof shall order the prisoners to be worked on roads, bridges, levees, or other county improvements, it shall be the duty of the county court or county judge thereof to appoint some suitable person as superintendent to take charge of, manage, and control the labor of the prisoners, who shall, for the purpose of working them, be authorized to employ such guards or adopt such means to prevent escapes as may be necessary.
(b) The superintendant shall have all the power of punishing for refusal to work given to contractors in this subchapter.
(c) Upon the order of the county judge, the county sheriff shall deliver to the superintendent all prisoners in his or her custody and receive them back from him or her whenever he or she shall return them for any purpose to the jail.
(d) The superintendent shall take an oath to faithfully discharge his or her duties and shall receive such compensation for his or her services as the court may fix.
(e) The superintendant may be at any time removed by the county court or county judge, and another may be appointed by the county judge in vacation, subject to approval at the next term of the county court.