6.01 Merit System – Civil Service Commission
   (A)    Merit Principle. All appointments and promotions of municipal employees shall be made according to merit and fitness demonstrated through a competitive selection process to the extent practicable and practical, except as otherwise provided by ordinance or resolution. Whenever the Commission deems it advisable, non-competitive examinations may be ordered for any position, even if previously filled by competitive tests.
   (B)    Classified and Unclassified Service. The civil service of the municipality shall be divided into the Classified and Unclassified Service.
      The Unclassified Service shall comprise the following offices and positions:
      1.   Elective officers and persons appointed to fill vacancies in elective offices.
      2.   The Manager and other appointed positions created by this Charter.
      3.   Members of Boards and Commissions and other bodies appointed by the Council and Advisory Committees appointed by the Manager.
      4.   Employees with professional qualifications engaged as Consultants.
      5.   The Manager's Assistant.
      6.   Secretary to the Manager and one Secretary to each department or commission when authorized by this Charter or by ordinance.
      7.   Clerk of Council and any Deputy Clerks of Council.
      8.   All Department Heads.
      9.   Administrative assistants to appointive and elective officials, department heads, and boards and commissions.
      10.   Such unskilled labor positions as the Commission may find it impracticable to include in the competitive classified service, provided the commission has entered on the record the reasons for the exemption of each such position.
      11.   Temporary and part-time employees.
   The Classified Service shall comprise all positions not specifically included by this section in the Unclassified Service and shall be divided into competitive and non-competitive classes.
      1.   The competitive class shall include all full-time positions and employments deemed by the commission practicable and practical to determine merit f and fitness of the applicants by competitive examination.
      2.   The non-competitive class shall consist of all full-time positions as follows:
         (A)   Positions requiring peculiar and exceptional qualifications of a scientific, managerial, professional, or educational character and as may be determined by the rules of the commission; and
         (B)   The unskilled labor class shall include all ordinary unskilled full-time positions, involving physical labor for which it is impracticable to give competitive test and requiring no specific education, certification, training, or experience prior to appointment. The commission shall register applicants for the positions in the labor class either continuously or at such times as there are vacancies to be filled. Basic minimum qualifications may be required without removing the position from the unclassified labor class.
   Members of the Classified Service shall comply with the restrictions on political activities set forth in Section 124.57. Ohio Revised Code.
(Amended 11-2-21)
   (C)    The Civil Service Commission. There shall be a Civil Service Commission consisting of three members who shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the consent of Council, for staggered three-year terms; provided, however, that, at the time of the first appointments to the Commission, the Mayor shall appoint one Commissioner for a one-year term, one for a two- year term, and the third for a three-year term. The Commission shall designate one of its members as Chairperson.
   (D)   Powers of Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service Commission shall have all powers and duties granted to a Civil Service Commission by the general laws of the State of Ohio except where the same are in conflict with this Charter; and provided, however, that the Commission shall have no authority to create a position of employment or to establish the compensation or benefits for any position. Council shall retain the authority to create or abolish positions and to set the levels of compensation and benefits for all positions. Council and the applicable appointing authorities shall retain the authority to revise the job duties and expectations for any job position.
   (E)    Tenure. The tenure of every officer or employee in the Classified Service shall be during good behavior and efficient service.
   (F)    Transition.
   1.   Neither the Merit System – Civil Service Commission, nor any of the provisions of this Section 6.01, shall come into effect unless and until the Village becomes a city.
   2.   No employee shall be terminated from employment solely as a result of the activation of this Section 6.01 or the original classification of positions of employment. Any individual placed within the Classified Service as a result of the activation of this Section 6.01 shall continue to serve during good behavior and efficient service.