system created or recognized by the law of the State, which either directly or by delegated authority assigns to the incumbent thereof the continuous performance of certain permanent public duties. *** An employment differs from both an office and a position in that its duties, which are non-governmental, are neither certain nor permanent.” People v. Coffin (1918), 282 Ill. 599, 606-07. Although the designation of one by the law as an officer is of some significance (67 C.J.S. Officers § 8 (1978)), we recognize that such a designation is not conclusive as to the official or unofficial character of the person. Further, the nomenclature in a statute designating a person holding a position as an officer or employee is not controlling. (See Hall v. County of Cook (1935), 359 111. 528 (<HOLDING>).) We, therefore, consider whether the sheriff
holding that notwithstanding language of statute authorizing appointment of a county architect by the board of commissioners of cook county such appointee is not an officer where he has no stated salary but is employed on a commission basis and where his work is generally casual and not continuous even though he is frequently referred to in the records of the county board as an officer holding that a county ordinance imposing an impact fee on new residential construction to be used for new school facilities did not constitute an unauthorized delegation of power from the county to the school board because the fundamental policy decisions were made by the county and the discretion of the school board was sufficiently limited holding a county and a road district had standing to sue state highway commission and county tax collector based on their interest in and control over the public roads of the county holding before the apa definition of person was amended to include county that the board of county commission ers of dolores county could not sue the state agency that had ordered reappraisals of real property in dolores county in connection with valuation for ad valorem taxation because the board of county commissioners was not a person under the apa and did not otherwise have authority to sue under statute or constitution holding that the lehigh county sheriff is a county officer rather than a state officer