(A)

(1) Except as provided in divisions (A)(2) and (3) of this section, in those municipal courts in which a housing or environmental division is established pursuant to section 1901.011 of the Revised Code, the judge of the division shall appoint a chief housing or environmental specialist, may appoint one or more housing or environmental specialists and housing or environmental division referees, and may appoint for the division any employee or officer whom the judges of a municipal court can appoint pursuant to section 1901.32 or division (A) of section 1901.33 of the Revised Code.

(2) For the housing division of the Toledo municipal court, the judges of the court shall appoint a chief housing specialist, may appoint one or more housing specialists and housing division referees, and may appoint any employee or officer whom the judges can appoint pursuant to section 1901.32 or division (A) of section 1901.33 of the Revised Code.

(3) For the environmental division of the Franklin county municipal court, the judges of the court shall appoint a chief environmental specialist, may appoint one or more environmental specialists and environmental division referees, and may appoint any employee or officer whom the judges can appoint pursuant to section 1901.32 or division (A) of section 1901.33 of the Revised Code. In lieu of, or in addition to, appointing environmental specialists, environmental division referees, and other environmental division employees or officers to perform duties only for that division, the judges of the court may appoint environmental specialists, referees, and other employees and officers to perform duties for the environmental division and the other divisions of the court, and the administrative judge of the court may assign other referees, employees, and officers of the court to perform functions for the environmental division.

(4)

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, the chief housing or environmental specialist, housing or environmental specialists, housing or environmental division referees, and other employees and officers of the housing or environmental division of a municipal court shall receive the compensation that the legislative authority prescribes, and shall be under the control of the judge of the division.

(b) The chief environmental specialist, environmental specialists, environmental division referees, and other employees and officers of the environmental division of the Franklin county municipal court, during the time when they are performing duties for that division, and any other referees, employees, and officers of the court, during the time when they are performing duties for the environmental division pursuant to an assignment by the administrative judge of the court, shall be under the control of the judge of the environmental division.

(B)

(1) The chief housing or environmental specialist and housing or environmental specialists of the housing or environmental division of a municipal court shall be knowledgeable in the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of dwelling units and with respect to federal, state, and municipal laws and ordinances that pertain to the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of dwelling units. Subject to division (B)(2) of this section, they shall provide expert assistance to the division and the parties before the division in the areas of their qualifications, perform mediation and field investigation services, and perform any other duties that the judge of the division prescribes.

(2) The chief environmental specialist and, during the time when they are performing duties for the environmental division of the Franklin county municipal court, environmental specialists shall provide expert assistance to the division and the parties before the division in the areas of their qualifications, perform mediation and field investigation services, and perform any other duties that the judge of the division prescribes.

Effective Date: 04-09-2001 .