Within one (1) year after this Charter takes effect, the County
Council shall establish by ordinance a personnel administration program
for all County employees under the direction of a Director of Personnel.
There shall be a merit system within the program to cover all employees
except as otherwise provided in this Charter.
The merit system is a method of personnel administration to
cover the appointment of all County employees and the appointive officers,
except as otherwise provided in this Charter, on the basis of merit
ascertained as nearly as practicable by competitive examination and
for the retention of said employees and officers on the basis of merit
and ability. It is also the purpose of the merit system to provide
a plan for classification of positions whereby, in determining the
rate of basic pay which an employee will receive, the principle of
equal pay for substantially equal work will be followed and variations
in rate of basic pay paid to different employees will be in proportion
to substantial differences in the difficulty, responsibility and qualification
requirements of the work performed and to the contributions of the
employees to the efficiency and economy of County activities, functions
and services.
The merit system does not apply to the following persons: Any
and all elected officials; any members of the executive staff of the
County Executive, any employees of the County Council duly hired after
the effective date of this amendment; the County Counselor; the County
Engineer; the Medical Examiner; the County Auditor; the Circuit Clerk
(if appointed); the Director of Corrections; the Public Administrator;
the Director of Community Health and the Environment; the Director
of Parks and Recreation; the First Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
and Managing Attorney in the office of the Prosecuting Attorney as
well as any and all members of boards and commissions appointed by
the County Executive or the County Council. An elected official may
appoint one (1) secretarial assistant to a position exempted from
the merit system if such position is authorized in the County budget.
If upon affirmative vote of the citizens, the offices of Recorder
of Deeds, Collector, and Assessor become appointed positions, then
the persons appointed occupy the positions of Recorder, Collector,
and Assessor shall come under the merit system. The County Council
shall determine by ordinance whether newly-created positions shall
be exempted from the merit system. Should the voters make the position
of Sheriff an appointed position, the person occupying that position
shall be exempt from the merit system and the position of Chief Deputy
Sheriff shall no longer be exempted from the merit system. The only
other exemptions from the merit system shall be those recommended
by the merit system Commission or by the County Executive and authorized
by ordinance of the County Council.
The Director of Personnel shall be appointed by the County Executive
and approved by the County Council and may not be removed without
the approval of the Merit System Commission. The Director of Personnel
will report to the County Executive. He shall exercise those powers
and perform those duties required by ordinance, administer the Merit
System and perform other managerial assignments made by the County
Executive. He shall certify all additions, deletions and changes in
payrolls of the Merit System employees. The Director of Personnel's
decision to certify or not to certify changes in the payroll may be
overturned by the Director of Administration. The Director of Personnel
may appeal any modification of his or her certification by the Director
of Administration to the County Council.