§ 17. Jurisdiction. 1. County civil service commission or personnel officer. The civil service commission or personnel officer of a county shall administer the provisions of this chapter with respect to the offices and employments in the classified service of such county and the civil divisions therein including school districts, except cities which are operating under one of the optional forms of civil service administration provided in section fifteen of this chapter and the city school districts of such cities.

2. City or suburban town civil service commission or personnel officer. Except as otherwise provided by special law enacted by the legislature, the civil service commission or personnel officer of a city or suburban town described in subdivision four of section two of this chapter shall administer the provisions of this chapter with respect to the offices and employments in the classified service of such suburban town or city, including the city school districts of such city.

3. Regional civil service commission or regional personnel officer. A regional civil service commission or regional personnel officer shall administer the provisions of this chapter with respect to the offices and employments which would otherwise be subject to the jurisdiction of the civil service commissions or personnel officers of the respective counties and cities under the jurisdiction of such regional civil service commission or regional personnel officer.

4. Each municipal commission and personnel officer shall have power at its own expense to conduct examinations and establish eligible lists for any position within its jurisdiction.

5. Administration of certain director of facility positions. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, chapter or any provisions to the contrary contained in any general, special, or local laws, the department shall develop a statewide exam for the positions of director of facilities I, II, & III in school districts throughout the state. Such administration shall include the development of eligibility criteria for examination of potential candidates for the positions of director of facilities I, II, & III based on qualifications and experience in accordance with section fifty of this chapter. Such statewide examinations shall not affect the ability of municipal civil service commissions to determine promotion qualifications, announce promotion examinations and establish promotion eligible lists for these positions, consistent with statewide eligibility criteria as determined by the department. Any such promotion examination shall use the statewide examination developed by the department.