(a) In counties having a population in excess of 1,000,000 the public administrator shall pay all the fees collected by the office into the county treasury. Each year, the county board shall appropriate an amount to be paid to the public administrator as compensation for the public administrator’s performance of his or her duties and such compensation shall be paid at a minimum level of $20,000 annually. That amount shall be paid from the fees collected by the office of the public administrator. The county board in such counties shall fix the amount for the public administrator’s compensation and necessary clerk hire, assistants, and office expense in the annual county budget and appropriation ordinances, which shall be paid from the county treasury. In such counties all fees of the office of public administrator are subject to audit the same as are fees of other county officers.
     (b) In counties having a population of 1,000,000 or less the public administrator may receive all the fees of his office and shall bear the expenses connected with the operation of such office.