(a) There is hereby created a Civil Service Commission consisting of three members who are electors of the City, to be appointed by the Mayor subject to approval by the Council by a majority vote of its members. At the time of appointment not more than two of the members shall be adherents of the same political party. The members of the Civil Service Commission existing on the effective date of this Charter under the general statutory plan of government for the City, are hereby designated as the members of the Civil Service Commission under this Charter, and as such, shall serve the remainder of their statutory terms of office exercising the powers, duties and functions of the Commission under this Charter. Thereafter, members of the Civil Service Commission shall be appointed to serve for a term of office of four years each, except the first person appointed to a new term after this Charter takes effect shall be appointed to a three year term.
(b) All compensated positions of the City shall be in the Classified Service of the City, except the following offices and positions which shall constitute the Unclassified Service of the City:
(1) All elected officials of the City.
(2) All directors of departments of the City.
(3) The Clerk of Council and employees of the Council.
(4) Members of all Boards and Commissions established by this Charter or by ordinance or resolution.
(5) The secretary of each Board and Commission established by this Charter or by ordinance or resolution; provided that if such secretary holds other employment within the Classified Service of the City, this section shall not exempt such person from the requirement of competitive examination to hold such other employment.
(6) One secretary to the City Attorney, Assistant City Attorneys and special legal counsel.
(7) One secretary and one assistant or deputy to each of the following officers: the City Auditor, the Mayor, and each director of a department.
(8) Members of any auxiliary police force or unit, and volunteer or part-time members of any fire force or division.
(9) Persons of exceptional professional or scientific qualifications.
(10) Consultants and others engaged to provide services as Independent contractors.
(11) Unskilled laborers and other positions not required to be in the Classified Service under the Ohio constitutional provisions pertaining to merit, as defined and authorized by the Civil Service Commission and approved by the Council, by ordinance or resolution.
(12) Professional engineers employed by the City.
(13) Temporary employees who are not employed for more than ninety consecutive days or for more than ninety days in any one year.
(14) Special categories of employees employed under federal or state programs, as defined and authorized by the Civil Service Commission and approved by the Council, by ordinance or resolution. Heads of divisions within departments, including the positions of Chief of Police and Fire Chief, are within the Classified Service of the City.
(c) Officers and employees in the Classified Civil Service of the City shall be appointed and promoted pursuant to competitive examinations, to the extent practicable, and shall be dismissed, suspended or otherwise disciplined, for cause only, pursuant to the powers granted by division (e) of this section. Officers and employees in the Unclassified Service of the City shall not be appointed or promoted pursuant to competitive examination and shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and may be removed, suspended or otherwise disciplined without cause, except as may otherwise be provided in portions of this Charter applicable to such officers or employees.
(d) The Mayor shall be the appointing authority with the power to appoint, promote, remove, suspend or otherwise discipline:
(1) All officers and employees in the administrative departments, or sub-units thereof, except the Departments of Law and City Auditor, subject to the provisions of this section pertaining to Civil Service.
(2) Employees of each Board or Commission created by this Charter or by ordinance or resolution, subject to the provisions of this section pertaining to Civil Service. The secretary of each Board and Commission shall be appointed by the Board or Commission as provided in Section 7.08(a) of this Charter.
The City Auditor and City Attorney shall be the appointing authorities for their respective departments with the power to appoint, promote, remove, suspend or otherwise discipline officers and employees within their respective departments or offices, subject to the provisions of this section pertaining to Civil Service.
(e) The general laws of Ohio pertaining to civil service in general statutory plan cities shall apply to the City under this Charter, except as such laws may conflict with or be inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter; and further provided that the Council may, by ordinance or resolution, eliminate or modify the application of specific provisions of those laws to the City and substitute local procedures or provisions in lieu of the specific provisions of those laws.
(f) The Civil Service Commission of the City shall administer the Civil Service provisions of the general laws of Ohio for the Classified employees of any school district, health district, court or other unit of government to the extent and if required under the general laws of Ohio. The City may receive funds from such other units of government for the services rendered to them.