RULE XII. HEARING PROCEDURE.
Section 1.    TIME OF HEARING AND NOTIFICATION.
Upon receipt from an employee or officer in the classified service of the City of Westlake of a timely written appeal from an order of removal, reduction in pay or position, or suspension for more than three working days, the Commission shall set a time and place to hear such appeal and shall notify the appropriate appointing authority, as well as the employee or his representative.
Section 2.    AMENDMENTS TO ORDERS.
Amendments to the orders of removal, reduction in pay or position or suspension for more than three working days may be made by the appointing authority at any time, provided the employee and his representative, if any, receive copies of the amended order prior to ten calendar days before the time set for the hearing as provided herein.
Section 3.    HEARING PROCEDURE.
In the hearing of such appeals, the order of procedure shall be as follows:
   (a)    The appointing authority taking action affecting the employee shall present evidence in the support of the charges and specifications.
    (b)    The employee affected shall then present such evidence as he may wish to refute such charges.
   (c)   The appointing authority may offer evidence in rebuttal. The Commission may, in its discretion hear arguments.
Section 4.    RULES OF EVIDENCE AND REPRESENTATION BY COUNSEL.
The production of evidence in the hearing of appeals and the Commission decision thereof shall be governed in general by the rules of evidence, proof and burden of proof applied by courts in civil cases. The appellee and appellant may be represented by counsel.
Section 5.    RESIGNATION BEFORE FINAL ACTION.
The acceptance of the resignation of a person discharged by the appointing authority before final action by the Commission will be considered a withdrawal of the charges. Notice of such resignation shall be immediately submitted to the Commission. The resignation of the employee shall be entered upon the records of the Commission and the proceedings dismissed without judgment.
Section 6.    WITNESS FEE.
Each witness before the City of Westlake Civil Service Commission shall receive the following fees:
    (a)    Twelve dollars ($12.00) for each full-day's attendance and six dollars ($6.00) for each half-day's attendance before the Civil Service Commission.
   (b)    As used in this section, "full-day's attendance" means a day or evening on which a witness is required to be present at proceedings during more than one half of the worker's daily shift regardless of whether he actually testifies; "half-day's attendance" means a day or evening on which a witness is required or requested to be present at proceedings during less than one-half of the worker's daily shift regardless of whether he actually testifies.
    (c)    The Civil Service Commission is hereby granted the discretion to assess witness fees against an unsuccessful party in a proceeding before it if in its best judgment such an assessment is proper and justified.