The Mississippi Transportation Commission shall employ a secretary whose salary shall be fixed by the commission and shall require the secretary to keep the proper minute books, order books and other proper books. The secretary shall be the custodian of all books, records or other papers of the department. All of such books, records and papers shall be public records and open to inspection by the public during business hours. Each of the commissioners, the Executive Director and the secretary may make certified copies of any proceedings of the department, any of its books or papers, or extracts therefrom. Such copy shall bear the signature of the officer giving it and also the seal of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, and such copies shall be admitted in evidence equally with the originals thereof in all courts of this state. Each of the commissioners and the executive director may take and hear testimony. The seal shall be the coat of arms of the State of Mississippi, surrounded by the words “Mississippi Department of Transportation”. In the event that the original seal should be stolen, lost or misplaced, the commission shall have the power to secure a duplicate seal. The secretary shall be the custodian of the seal and shall do and perform all other things which may be properly required of him by the executive director or commission. He shall give bond in the sum of not less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), conditioned as required by law. Except for warrant requisitions drawn in accordance with the provisions of Section 65-1-115, Mississippi Code of 1972, all proceedings of the commission shall be entered upon the minutes of the commission in a minute book to be provided and kept for that purpose, which minutes shall be signed by the chairman or acting chairman of the respective meetings and by the secretary. The pages of the minute book shall be numbered consecutively by the bookmaker. The secretary of the commission shall be an ex officio notary public, authorized to administer oaths and take acknowledgments in the same manner and to the same extent as any other duly appointed, qualified, commissioned and acting notary public, and the seal of the Transportation Department shall be his seal as such ex officio notary public. The bond premium of the secretary shall be paid from any funds available to the commission.