Appointments and promotions to all positions in the service
of the city shall be made solely on the basis of merit and only after
examination of the applicant's fitness so far as practicable examination
shall be competitive.
[Amended 3-8-1977]
The first manager under this charter shall draft and submit
to the council within three months after assuming office a set of
rules and regulations, which shall become effective one month after
its submission unless vetoed by the council within that period, providing
for the establishment of a merit system personnel administration and
for the implementation of such portions of that system as are prescribed
by this charter. The rules and regulations shall include provisions
with regard to classification, compensation, selection, training,
promotion, discipline, vacations and any other matters necessary to
the maintenance of efficient service and the improvement of working
conditions. The rules and regulations shall continue in force subject
to amendments submitted from time to time by the manager which shall
become effective one month after their submission unless vetoed by
the council within that period.
The compensation of all officers and employees not fixed by
this charter shall be fixed in the rules and regulations of the merit
plan by a schedule of pay which include a minimum and maximum and
such intermediate rates as may be deemed desirable for each class
of position provided for in said rules and regulations and which shall
be enacted in the form of an ordinance as provided for in said rules
and regulations and which shall be enacted in the form of an ordinance
as provided in Sections 24 and 25. In increasing or decreasing items
in the city budget, the council shall not increase or decrease any
individual salary item but shall act solely with respect to total
salaries in the various departments of the city.
[Amended 11-16-2022]
No compensation shall be paid without Certification by the manager,
or such officer as the manager may direct, that the recipients are
employed by the city and that their rates of compensation comply with
the pay schedule provided for in Section 52. If such officer approves
payments not in conformity therewith, the officer and the officer's
surety shall be liable for the amount of such payments.
A taxpayer may maintain a civil action to restrain payment of
compensation to persons unlawfully appointed or employed or to recover
for the city any sums paid contrary to the provisions of this charter.