Article III — SUCCESSION

The City of Downey shall continue to own, possess and control all rights and property of every kind and nature owned, possessed or controlled by it at the time this Charter takes effect and shall continue to be subject to all its debts, obligations, liabilities and contracts.

All lawful ordinances, resolutions, rules and regulations, and portions thereof, in force at the time this Charter takes effect and not in conflict or inconsistent herewith, are hereby continued in force until the same shall have been duly repealed, amended, changed or superseded by proper authority.

Nothing in this Charter contained, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, shall affect or impair the merit system, pension or retirement rights or privileges of officers or employees of the City, or of any office, department or agency thereof, existing at the time this Charter takes effect.

The present officers and employees of the City shall continue without interruption to perform the duties of their respective offices and employments upon the same terms and conditions and for the compensation provided by the existing ordinances, resolutions, rules or laws, but subject to such removal, amendment and control as is provided or permitted in this Charter, and, as to offices which are changed, abolished or superseded by this Charter, until the election or appointment and qualification of their respective successors under this Charter.

All contracts entered into by the City or for its benefit prior to the effective date of this Charter and then in effect, shall continue in full force and effect according to their terms. Public improvements for which proceedings have been instituted under laws existing at the time this Charter takes effect, in the discretion of the Council, may be carried to completion as nearly as practicable in accordance with the provisions of such existing laws or may be continued or perfected under this Charter.

No action or proceeding, civil or criminal, pending at the time this Charter takes effect, brought by or against the City or any officer, office, department or agency thereof, shall be affected or abated by the adoption of this Charter or by anything herein contained but all such actions or proceedings may be continued notwithstanding that functions, powers and duties of any officer, office, department or agency a party thereto, may be assigned or transferred by or under this Charter to another officer, office, department or agency, but in that event the same may be prosecuted or defended by the head of the office, department or agency to which such functions, powers and duties have been assigned or transferred by or under this Charter.

This Charter shall take effect upon its approval by the Legislature after it shall have been ratified by the qualified voters of the City in the manner set forth in the State Constitution.

CHARTER OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY