Neb. Rev. Stat. § 23-2535

For purposes of sections 23-2534 to 23-2544 : (1) Appointing authority shall mean officials and appointed department directors authorized to make appointments in the county service; (2) Classified service shall mean the positions in the county service to which sections 23-2534 to 23-2544 are made applicable; (3) County board shall mean the board of county supervisors or board of county commissioners of a county with a population of less than one hundred fifty thousand inhabitants; (4) County personnel officer shall mean the employee designated by the county board to administer a program adopted pursuant to sections 23-2534 to 23-2544 ; (5) Department shall mean a major functional unit of the county government headed by an official or established by the county board; (6) Deputy shall mean an individual who serves as the first assistant to and at the pleasure of an official; (7) Lay member shall mean anyone not employed by the county or acting on its behalf other than a member of the personnel policy board; and (8) Official shall mean an officer elected by the popular vote of the people or a person appointed to a countywide office.