The Commissioner shall appoint and may remove at his discretion a chief deputy commissioner, who, in the event of the absence, death, resignation, disability or disqualification of the Commissioner, or in case the office of Commissioner shall for any reason become vacant, shall have and exercise all the powers and duties vested by law in the Commissioner.  He shall receive such compensation as fixed and provided by the Department of Administration. (1945, c. 383; 1987, c. 864, s. 19(a).)