At such time as the Municipality shall become a City, Council shall, and prior to that time may, by ordinance provide for and establish a Civil Service Commission and a civil service system. The Commission shall consist of three electors of the Municipality, not holding other Municipal office or employment, to be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the members of Council, for terms of six years each, except that the original members of the Commission shall be appointed for terms expiring on the last day of December of the second, fourth and sixth years after their appointment. The Mayor may at any time suspend any member of the Commission for inefficiency, neglect of duty, malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office, incapacity or incompetency, provided, however, that such suspension shall become final only after being confirmed by the affirmative vote of five members of Council. A vacancy occurring during the term of any member of the Civil Service Commission shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner authorized for an original appointment. The Mayor shall designate the Chairperson of the Commission, subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the members of Council. The Commission shall appoint a Secretary who need not be a member of the Commission and may hold other Municipal office or appointment.
The Council shall determine which employees of the Municipality shall be within the classified service and which shall be within the unclassified service. Council shall also determine whether the Chief of Police and Fire Chief shall be within the classified or the unclassified service, provided that regular full-time members of the Police and Fire Departments (other than the Chief of Police and Fire Chief) shall be in the classified service and all persons, other than those serving a probationary period of employment, who have been continuously employed on a full-time basis in the service of the Municipality in the same or a similar position in the classified service for at least six months prior to the date such position is placed in the classified service, shall be retained in the same or a similar position without examination until discharged from employment, reduced in rank, disciplined, promoted or transferred, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission.
The Commission shall provide by rule for the ascertainment of merit and fitness as the basis for appointment and promotion in the classified service, in the manner provided by the Constitution of the State of Ohio, and for appeals from the action of the Mayor in any case of transfer, reduction in rank or discharge from employment in the classified service, except as otherwise provided in this Charter, and the action of the Commission on any such appeal shall be final, except as provided by law. The Commission shall keep a record of its proceedings and examinations, which shall be open to public inspection at all reasonable times.