Any person holding an office or position in the classified service of the city under any civil service or merit system applicable to the city when the mayor-council form of government shall be adopted shall be continued as such officer or employee in the classified service of the city under the mayor-council form of government and with the same status, rights, and privileges and subject to the same conditions under such applicable civil service or merit system as if the mayor-council form of government had not been adopted.

(Acts 1955, No. 452, p. 1004, §7.03.)