1. Any person being an honorably discharged soldier, sailor or marine, who served in the Army, Navy or Marine Corps of the United States in any war of the United States, or an honorably discharged member of the American Merchant Marine who served during World War II and is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans’ benefits, and holding the office, position or employment of city engineer in any city governed under the municipal manager form of government law, who heretofore has held, hereafter shall hold or heretofore and hereafter shall have held said office, position or employment continuously for a period of 15 years from the date of his original appointment as city engineer of such municipality under an indefinite term or under fixed terms or under both indefinite and fixed terms, while said city was governed under said law or under any other law or both, shall hold his said office, position or employment during good behavior and efficiency and shall not be removed therefrom except for good cause and then only upon a sworn complaint, specifying the cause, filed with the city manager of said municipality and after a public, fair and impartial hearing before said city manager.

L.1943,c.190,s.1; amended 1991,c.389,s.24.