(a) Public Announcements. All entrance examinations shall be publicly announced by either the Civil Service Commission or the City of Conneaut by publication in at least one newspaper which has a county-wide circulation. These announcements may specify the title and salary range of the class for which the examination is to be held; the time, place and manner of making application; the closing date for the applications and other information deemed appropriate.
(b) Application Forms. Applications shall be made on forms prescribed by either the Civil Service Commission or the City of Conneaut.
(c) Disqualification. Either the Civil Service Commission or the City Manager shall reject any application which indicates on its face that the applicant does not possess the minimum qualifications required or which is not received within the time limit for filing for the position. Notice of such rejection may be given to the applicant with reasons therefore, and such rejection shall be final.
(d) Verification. Either the Civil Service Commission or the City Manager shall make suitable inquiry of employers, educational institutions, and character references given by the applicant to verify statements made in the application. If facts so ascertained indicate the applicant's unsuitability, either the Civil Service Commission or the City Manager may reject his application and notify him to that effect, and such rejection shall be final.
(e) Factors Determining Appointment. All appointments shall be made according to merit and fitness, to be ascertained, as far as practicable, by competitive examination. In determining the successful candidate for any position, due consideration shall also be given to such factors as education, training, experience, aptitude, knowledge, character, skills, abilities, physical fitness, references or any other factor which may enter into the determination of the relative fitness of the applicant.
(f) Procedure for Filling Vacancies. The City Manager shall determine which, if any, vacancies in authorized positions are to be filled, taking into account all relevant factors, including budget constraints should they exist. The City Manager is empowered under the Charter to appoint all employees in the classified and unclassified service. The City Manager may delegate the responsibility for recruitment, testing, interviewing and all similar activities associated with the selection process to the Civil Service Commission and/or the Department/Division Head involved.
(g) Probationary Appointments. The probationary period shall begin immediately upon appointment and shall continue for that time period specified in Section 157.33
of this code. The purpose of the period is to provide an opportunity for the employee to demonstrate that he/she has the knowledge, skills, ability, work habits, and other attributes necessary to obtain regular employment status. An employee shall be retained beyond the end of the probationary period and granted regular status only if the performance of the employee has been found to be satisfactory and approval of the City Manager is obtained authorizing regular status. Under certain circumstances, the probationary period of an employee may be extended, but only for valid reasons, only upon approval of the City Manager, and then for only a specified period of time after which the procedures set forth above shall apply. The probationary period shall not be extended indefinitely.
(h) Temporary Positions and Appointments Thereto. A temporary position is one which is established and approved by the City Manger and designated to be of a duration shorter than six months. Sufficient funds must be provided in the budget to establish such a position. No employee may be retained in a temporary position longer than six months, after which he shall be transferred to a permanent position in a probationary status or dismissed. Positions which are funded entirely or primarily by supplemental sources, such as grants or specialized programs, may be of duration longer than six months, but shall still be regarded as temporary positions.
(i) Permanent Positions. A permanent position shall be one which is established in the existing budget, funded by the City, and designated and designed to be continuous in nature. It may be seasonal or part-time, but permanent by it being established in the budget, designated permanent by the City Manager and filled by a permanent or probationary employee.
(j) Promotion Procedure. All promotions shall be made by the City Manager in conjunction with the Civil Service Commission. When an employee is promoted to a higher paying job classification he shall be on probation in the new classification position for the period prescribed in the compensation plan. During this probation, the employee may be removed therefrom at any time that the employee demonstrates an inability to perform satisfactorily the requirements of the job as determined by supervisory personnel. If the employee is not performing at an acceptable level, the Department/Division Head may recommend removal to the City Manager, who shall make the final determination. If removed from the higher paying job classification, the employee, at the City Manager's discretion, may be returned to an open position in the classification the employee occupied prior to promotion, if such a vacancy exists.
(Ord. 20-04. Passed 2-23-04.)