Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this act, shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.

(1) For the purposes of this act, the term “officer” shall be taken to mean a county officer, including an officer whose authority is ordinarily confined to a district within a county, whose duties require or authorize him or her to collect public money; the term “officer” shall not include any board or commission or any member thereof acting as such.

(2) The term “public money” shall be taken to mean and include all money collected by a county officer which he or she is required or authorized by law, as such county officer, to collect, and underpayments, overpayments, partial payments and deposits of such money, except the county officer’s salary when his or her sole compensation is provided by such salary.