Council many provide by ordinance, but shall not be required to do so, for the establishment of a Civil Service Commission and Civil Service System and may determine which employees of the municipality shall be within the classified service of the municipality and which shall be within the unclassified service and shall provide to the extent that it deems necessary and in the interests of the municipality, that appointments and promotions shall be made according to merit and fitness to be ascertained as far as practicable by competitive examination. Such ordinance shall provide that all persons who have been continuously employed in the service of the municipality in the same or similar positions included in the classified service for at least 30 days immediately preceding the effective date of the ordinance, shall retain their positions without examination unless later reduced, promoted or transferred in accordance with the Civil Service System so established by Council.
The Civil Service Commission, when established by Council, shall consist of 3 electors of the municipality who shall be appointed by Council to serve a term of 4 years, except that Council shall provide for the staggering of terms in order to obtain continuity of membership on the commission. A vacancy occurring during the term of any member of the board shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner hereby authorized for an original appointment.
Duties: The Civil Service Commission shall provide by rule for the ascertainment of merit and fitness as the basis for appointment and promotion in the classified service as established by Council, and for appeals from the action of the manager in any case of transfer, reduction or removal. The action of the Commission on any such appeal shall be final.