7-3-158. Transition provisions affecting personnel. (1) The members of the governing body holding office on the date the new plan of government is adopted by the electors of the local government continue in office and in the performance of their duties until the governing body authorized by the plan has been elected and qualified.

(2) An officer, including a member of the governing body, elected under an existing form of government or plan of government continues to hold office under a new form of government or change to a plan of government if the new form or plan continues to have that office, whether the new officer is to be elected or appointed. A successor may be elected or appointed, as appropriate, to fill the office at the end of the term for which the holdover officer was elected.

(3) All other employees holding offices or positions under the government of the county or municipality continue in the performance of the duties of their respective offices and positions until provisions are made for the performance or discontinuance of the duties or the discontinuance of the offices or positions.

(4) A change in a form of government or a plan of government may provide that existing elected officers of an office that is abolished may continue in office until the end of the term for which they were elected or may provide that the existing elected officers be retained as local government employees until the end of the term for which they were elected, and their salaries may not be reduced.