(A) Pursuant to IC 36-8-3.5 et seq. a Fire Merit Commission ("Commission") is established to administer the Fire Department Merit System.
(B) Pursuant to IC 36-8-3.5-6, the Commission shall consist of five Commissioners appointed in the following manner: two, who shall be members of different political parties, appointed by the Mayor; one appointed by the City Council; and two, who shall be members of different political parties, elected by the career firefighters eligible to vote for such Commissioners as defined by state law. To qualify as a Commissioner, an appointee must be of good moral character, must have been a resident of the city for three consecutive years immediately prior to appointment and must remain a resident of the city during the commissioner's term. Not more than three of the Commissioners may be of the same political party. A Commissioner may not be an active member of the city Police or Fire Departments. All five Commissioners serving at the time this section is amended shall continue to serve their term unless removed by their respective electing or appointing authority. Thereafter, as a Commissioner's term expires, the appropriate electing or appointing authority shall name the Commissioner of its choice to begin serving a term of four years beginning on January 1. Each Commissioner is subject to removal by their respective electing or appointing authority for any cause that the electing or appointing authority considers sufficient. Before entering upon his or her duties, each Commissioner shall take and subscribe an oath. Each Commissioner shall also take and subscribe an additional oath or affirmation that, in each appointment or removal made by the Commission to or from the Fire Department under this subchapter, he or she will not appoint or remove a member because of the political affiliation of the person or for another cause or reason other than that of the fitness of the person. The oath and affirmation shall be recorded and placed among the records of the City Clerk.
(Ord. 091514A, passed 11-17-14)