The Civil Service Commission shall provide by rule for the ascertainment of merit and fitness as the basis for appointment and promotion in the service of the Municipality as required by the Constitution of the State of Ohio, and for appeals from the action of the Mayor in any case of transfer, reduction or removal. The action of the Commission on any such appeal shall be final except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Ohio. Civil Service examination shall not be required for the appointment of any member of a board or commission, or any head of a department other than the Division of Police or the Division of Fire, or any assistant to a director, or any secretary to the Mayor or to the head of any department or any assistant to the Mayor, or for temporary appointments or for unskilled laborers, or for appointment to any other office or position requiring peculiar or exceptional qualifications. Any person who shall have served the Municipality on a full-time or part-time basis, whether volunteer or regular, for at least one year next preceding the effective date of this article may be retained in his same position without examination. Except as herein provided, a competitive examination shall be required for appointment or promotion to nonelective offices or job classifications in the service of the Municipality, but the Civil Service Commission shall determine the nature of such examination. The Civil Service Commission shall have the authority to determine that competitive written examinations for lateral entry into employment for the positions of Police Cadet and Fire Cadet may be dispensed with, and instead, may provide by rule for the option of lateral entry into employment for the positions of Police Cadet and Fire Cadet upon completion of an application, submission of proof of experience and training, an oral interview, and such other requirements as the Civil Service Commission may determine are appropriate. The Civil Service Commission shall certify the payroll of all civil service employees to the Finance Director. (Adopted November 8, 1955; Amended November 7, 2017)