(A) Until the municipality attains city status, the employees of the municipality shall have that tenure, if any, as provided by the laws of Ohio pertaining to the general statutory plan of government for villages, except as those laws may conflict with the provisions of this Charter.
(B) After the municipality attains city status, the Council shall establish a Civil Service Commission by ordinance or resolution fixing its membership, the method of appointment, terms of office, powers, duties and functions; provided that appointments and promotions in the classified civil service shall be made according to merit and fitness, to be ascertained, as far as practicable, by competitive examinations. All compensated positions of employment shall be in the classified civil service except the following offices and positions which shall be in the unclassified or exempt service:
(1) Members of Council.
(2) The Clerk of Council and other employees of the Council.
(3) The Mayor.
(4) The Administrative Director.
(5) The Finance Director.
(6) The Law Director, Assistant Law Directors, and special legal counsel.
(7) All heads of Departments.
(8) Professional engineers employed by the municipality.
(9) Members of Boards and Commissions established by this Charter or by Council.
(10) Volunteer members of the Fire Department, members of the auxiliary police unit within the Police Department, and part time employees of the Departments of Police and Fire.
(11) The Secretary of each Board and Commission established by this Charter or by Council, provided that if such Secretary holds other employment within the classified civil service of the municipality, this section shall not exempt such person from the requirement of competitive examination to hold such other employment.
(12) Persons of exceptional professional or scientific qualifications engaged as consultants.
(13) Unskilled laborers as defined and authorized by the Civil Service Commission.
(14) Temporary employees who are not employed for more than ninety (90) continuous days or for more than ninety (90) days in one year.
(15) Special categories of employees employed under federal or state programs, as determined by the Civil Service Commission.
(Amended 11-8-83)