145.02   APPOINTMENT OF FIRE CHIEF AND DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF.
   (a)   The provisions of Ohio R.C. Chapter 124 and any other section of the Ohio Revised Code notwithstanding, the following shall be the procedure for the appointment of the Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief if they are full-time compensated positions.
   (b)   Whenever a vacancy occurs in the position of Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief in the Fire Department and no eligibility list for such position exists, the appointing authority may certify that fact to the Civil Service Commission, and the Commission shall within ninety days of such certification conduct a competitive examination which shall include a performance assessment center procedure as part or all of the examination and which shall be public and open to all citizens of the United States and those persons who have legally declared their intentions of becoming U.S. citizens, within certain limitations to be determined by the Commission as to citizenship, residence, age, experience, education, health, habit and moral character. After such examination has been held an eligibility list shall be established in accordance with the rules of the Commission and the Commission shall certify to the appointing authority the names of the five persons standing highest on such list. Upon such certification, the appointing authority shall appoint one of the five persons so certified within thirty days, except that the City Manager shall have discretion to fill or not to fill any vacancy in the position of Deputy Fire Chief.
   (c)   Eligibility lists for the position of Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief shall be effective for one year, unless extended by the Civil Service Commission for an additional period not to exceed one year.
   (d)   When an applicable eligibility list is in existence and a vacancy occurs in the position of Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief, the appointing authority may certify that fact to the Civil Service Commission. The five persons standing highest on such list shall be certified to the appointing authority, and one of such persons shall be appointed within thirty days after such certification, except that the City Manager shall have discretion to fill or not fill any vacancy in the position of Deputy Fire Chief. When less than five names are certified, appointment from that list shall not be mandatory.
   (e)   There shall be no credit given or added to the examination score of any applicant for the position of Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief for seniority or efficiency in the service of the City or for military service. There shall also be no preference given on the examination score or in the ranking of the applicants for the position of Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief to any current or former employee of the City of Fairfield, Ohio.
(Ord. 123-09. Passed 10-13-09.)