(a) As used in this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) “City” means the City of Chillicothe, Ohio.
(2) “Employee” or “employees” means any person holding any of the following positions:
A. All persons appointed by and serving at the pleasure of an elected official.
B. Chillicothe Police Department: officers, sergeants, captains, chief, communications operators and auxiliary police unit.
C. Chillicothe Fire Department: fire fighters, fire lieutenants, fire captains, fire chief, assistant fire chief.
D. Utilities Department: Utility meter reader, utilities maintenance technician I, utilities clerk, water meter service, water maintenance, water distribution crew leader, wastewater collection crew leader, lead plant operator, utility lab technician, water treatment plant operators, wastewater treatment plant operators, pre-treatment coordinator, instrumentation and electrical technician, Wastewater Superintendent and Assistant Utility Director, utility supervisor, utility office supervisor, water treatment plant administration assistant, water supervisor, Utilities Superintendent and backflow prevention.
E. Service Department: office manager, laborer, labor crew leader, general maintenance, equipment operator, truck driver and street supervisor.
F. Engineer Department: electrician, assistant electrician, traffic control crew leader, traffic control supervisor, electrical inspector, engineering aides, floodwall coordinator, civil engineers, Building Official and administrative assistant-Prevailing Wage Compliance Administrator.
G. Parks Department: Service Superintendent, parks supervisor.
H. Transit Department: bus operator, shift leader, mechanic, bus utility worker.
I. Mayor’s Staff: secretary, chief of staff, Safety Service Director, City Engineer, Utilities Director, Parks and Recreation Director, Fleet Manager and Transit Director.
(3) “Residence” or “residency” means the regular location or address where a person lives and maintains his or her domicile. Excluded are places or addresses maintained for mailing, voting, financial or other purposes not otherwise consistent with the employee’s actual domicile.
(4) “Emergency” or “emergency services” means the preparation for the carrying out of all emergency functions, other than functions for which military forces are primarily responsible, to protect, respond and recover, to prevent, detect, deter and mitigate, to minimize and repair injury and damage resulting from disasters or other event caused by flooding, terrorism, enemy attack, sabotage or other natural or other manmade causes. These functions include, without limitation, disaster recovery activities, fire-fighting services, police services, medical and health services, communications, radiological, chemical and other special weapons defense, evacuation of persons from stricken areas, emergency welfare services, emergency transportation, existing or properly assigned functions to plant protection, temporary restoration of public utility services and other functions related to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of this State, together with all other activities necessary or incidental to the preparation for and carrying out of the foregoing functions.
(5) “Disaster” means the occurrence of as well as the imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from any natural or terrorist or man-made cause, including weapons of mass destruction, fire, flood, earthquake, wind, snow, storm, chemical or oil spill or other water or soil contamination, epidemic, air contamination, blight, drought, infestation or other public calamity requiring emergency action.
(6) “Disaster recovery activities” means activities undertaken prior to, during or following a disaster to provide, or to participate in the provision of, emergency services, temporary housing, residential housing, essential business activities and community facilities.
(7) “Essential business activities” means a specific work or improvement within this State or a specific item of equipment or tangible personal property used within this State by any person to provide any essential goods or services deemed by the authority to be necessary for recovery from a disaster.
(b) The purpose of this section is to ensure adequate response time by certain employees of the City of Chillicothe to emergencies or disasters that arise or may arise within the City and is enacted pursuant to the authority established by Section 9.481 of the Ohio Revised Code.
(c) All employees of the City as set forth in subsection (a)(2) hereof are hereby deemed as essential employees to ensure adequate response times in the event of emergency or disaster.
(d) Except as otherwise provided by subsections (e) and (f) hereof, all employees of the City as set forth in subsection (a)(2) hereof, including all employees hired after the effective date of this section, are hereby required as a condition of their employment to reside within the boundaries of Ross County, Ohio, or within fifty (50) air miles of Ross County, Ohio.
(e) All employees now employed by the City and who are now living outside the area specified in subsection (d) hereof shall be excluded from the application of this section until such time as he or she should move or establish a new residence after the effective date of this section.
(f) The appointing authority for any position within the City having a requirement for City residency may grant a waiver of such requirement to any employee, including any employee hired after the effective date of this section, for good and sufficient reason under the following conditions:
(1) That public health, safety and welfare shall not be jeopardized by the granting of such waiver.
(g) The appointing authority shall be charged with responsibility for enforcement of this section. Any employee in violation of this section shall be subject to removal from his or her position by order of the appointing authority.
(Ord. 95-20. Passed 11-9-20.)