(a) No subordinate board, department, body, office, position or employment shall be created and no appointments shall be made to any subordinate board, department or body, or to any office, employment or position, including without limitation patrolmen and firemen, between the date of election of officers and the date the newly elected officers take office under any optional plan.
(b) All actions and proceedings of a legislative, executive or judicial character which are pending upon the effective date of an optional plan adopted pursuant to this act may continue, and the appropriate officer or employee under such optional plan shall be substituted for the officer or employee theretofore exercising or discharging the function, power or duty involved in such action or proceeding.