Council may choose employees in the civil service departments of the government, which shall always include the police department and the fire department and, in cities of more than ten thousand and less than twenty thousand inhabitants and of more than fifty thousand and less than one hundred thousand inhabitants, the department of health, only from persons so certified by the civil service commissioners. No appointee to a civil service position shall be removed from office by council except by and with the approval of a majority of the civil service commissioners upon charges duly presented as to which the employee shall have the opportunity to make his defense, except that the chief of police and the chief of the fire department or any superintendent or foreman in charge of municipal work may temporarily suspend or discharge any subordinate then under his direction for neglect of duty or disobedience of his orders, but shall within twenty-four hours thereafter report such suspension or discharge and the reason therefor to the member of council who is the superintendent of such department. Such member of council shall thereupon affirm or revoke such discharge or suspension which shall be final unless such employee shall, within five days of such ruling, appeal therefrom to council, which shall, with the civil service commissioners, fully hear and determine the matter and shall not finally discharge the employee without the concurrence of two thirds of the civil service commissioners.