(A) Until the Municipality attains city status, the employees of the Municipality shall have that tenure, if any, as provided by the laws of Ohio pertaining to the general statutory plan of government for villages, except as those laws may conflict with the provisions of this Charter, or the ordinances and resolutions of the Municipality.
(B) After the Municipality attains city status, the Council shall establish a Civil Service Commission by ordinance or resolution fixing its membership, the method of appointment, terms of office, powers, duties, and functions; however, appointments and promotions in the classified civil service shall be made according to merit and fitness, to be ascertained, as far as practicable, by competitive examinations. All compensated positions of employment shall be in the classified civil service except the following offices and positions which shall be in the unclassified or exempt service:
(1) Members of the Council, the Mayor and Vice Mayor.
(2) The Clerk of Council and other employees of the Council.
(3) The Manager and assistants to the Manager.
(4) The Director of Finance and deputies to the Director of Finance.
(5) The Director of Law, Assistant Directors of Law and special legal counsel.
(6) All heads of departments and divisions.
(7) Professional engineers employed by the Municipality.
(8) Members of boards and commissions established by this Charter or by Council.
(9) Volunteer members of the fire service, members of the auxiliary police unit within the police force.
(10) The Secretary of each board and commission established by this Charter or by Council; however, if such Secretary holds other employment within the classified civil service of the Municipality, this section shall not exempt such person from any requirement of competitive examination to hold such other employment.
(11) Persons of exceptional professional or scientific qualifications engaged as consultants.
(12) Unskilled laborers as defined and authorized by the Civil Service Commission.
(13) Temporary employees who are not employed for more than 90 continuous days or for more than 90 days in one year.
(14) Special categories of employees employed under federal or state programs, as determined by the Civil Service Commission.