The administrative service of the City is hereby divided into the classified and unclassified service as follows:
(1) 
The unclassified service shall include all directors of departments, members of advisory and administrative boards and commissions, all persons serving without compensation, clerk of the Municipal Court, the private secretary of the Mayor, the Purchasing Officer, Assistant City Attorneys, the Personnel Officer and the City Clerk.
(2) 
The classified service shall comprise all positions not specifically included by this Charter in the unclassified service.
All appointments, promotions, and all measures for the regulation of employment in the classified service of the City shall be on the basis of merit and fitness which, so far as practicable, shall be ascertained by competitive examinations and service ratings.
On or before September 1, 1964, the Council shall, on recommendation of the personnel commission, adopt ordinances establishing the following:
(a) 
A classification plan for the classification of all positions on the basis of their duties and resulting qualification requirements.
(b) 
A compensation plan to provide standard pay schedules for all positions within the several classes by grades.
(c) 
Regulations for competitive examinations to test the fitness of applicants for appointment to the classified service and regulations governing promotions, including a system of service ratings.
(d) 
A method of certification of eligible applicants for appointment and promotion, including probationary testing periods.
(e) 
Regulations governing the tenure of employment, including provisions for layoffs, demotions, suspensions and discharges.
(f) 
Conditions under which employees of the City at the time of the adoption of these ordinances may be continued in their positions.
(g) 
Provisions for the administration of the personnel system by designation of a Personnel Officer to be responsible for classification audits, preparation and administration of examinations, maintenance of eligibility registers, certification of eligibles and maintenance of service ratings.
[ Ord. No. 3860 § 1, 9-22-1980; Ord. No. 4747 § 1, 1-26-1987]
There shall be a Personnel Commission composed of nine (9) members, one (1) from each ward, appointed by the Council. Each member shall be a registered voter of the City and shall have resided therein for at least two (2) years immediately prior to his appointment. The members of the Commission shall be persons in sympathy with the application of merit principles to public employment. No member of the Commission shall be a member of any local, state or national committee of a political party or any elected officer of any partisan political club or organization. The members of the Commission during their terms thereon shall hold no other public office or employment in the City and shall not hold or be a candidate for any political office. Appointment to the Commission shall require approval of seven (7) Council members.
The members of the Commission shall be appointed for terms of four (4) years, except that of the members first appointed, one (1) shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year, one (1) for a term of two (2) years, two (2) for a term of three (3) years and one (1) for a term of four (4) years. Vacancies for the balance of the term shall be filled as provided for original appointment.
Members of the Personnel Commission may be removed upon the affirmative vote of seven (7) members of the Council, for cause, upon notice and written charges and after opportunity for public hearing is given, no less than ten (10) days after notice to the person so charged. At such hearing the person so charged may be represented by counsel and may present evidence in his behalf.
The Mayor may attend meetings of the Commission and may have a voice but no vote in its proceedings. Actions of the Commission shall be taken only upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Commission.
[1]
Editor's Note—Ord. No. 3860, amending the first paragraph of § 10.3, was approved at an election held April 9, 1981. Ord. No. 4747. also amending the first paragraph, was adopted January 26, 1987; vetoed by the mayor January 29, 1987; adopted notwithstanding the mayor's veto on February 9, 1987; and approved at an election held April 7, 1987.
It shall be the duty of the Personnel Commission to:
(1) 
Recommend to the Council, on or before July 1, 1964, proposed ordinances on the matters specified in section 10.2 herein.
(2) 
Advise the Mayor and Council on problems concerning personnel administration.
(3) 
Make any investigation which it deems desirable concerning the system of personnel administration in the City and make a report to the Mayor and Council at least once each year of its findings and recommendations.
(4) 
Hear and determine the appeals of all persons in the classified service from all actions of department heads or other duly authorized supervisory personnel relating to the discharge, suspension, disciplining or otherwise penalizing of such persons, who shall have the right to be represented by counsel.
(5) 
Perform such other duties with reference to personnel administration, not inconsistent with this Charter, as the Council may prescribe by ordinance.
No person in the classified service of the City, or seeking admission thereto, shall be appointed, promoted, reduced or removed on any basis other than merit and fitness for the service or the lack thereof. Any such action shall be taken wholly without favoritism or discrimination.
No person seeking appointment to, or promotion in, the classified service shall either directly or indirectly give, render or pay any money, service, or other thing of value to any person for, or on account of, or in connection with his test, appointment, proposed appointment, promotion or proposed promotion.
No employee in the classified service shall continue in such position after becoming a candidate for nomination or election to any public office.
No employee in the classified service shall, within the City, solicit any monetary contribution to the campaign funds of any candidate for office or of any political organization, nor shall any employee in the classified service participate in the campaign of any candidate for City office.
The provisions of this Section may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction and, upon conviction of violating or conspiring to violate the provisions hereof, a person shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) and not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00). The conviction of any employee of such offense shall operate automatically to terminate his service. Any employee so removed shall not be reinstated into City service. The conviction of any applicant for City employment of such offense shall automatically disqualify such person from employment in City service.