In the main courtroom of the historic 1916 Palm Beach County Courthouse, whose first tenant a century ago was Palm Beach County’s “tax assessor,” that post’s ninth incarnation was sworn in Tuesday.
With a big smile, and with her family looking on from the old jury box, new Palm Beach County Property Appraiser — that’s the title now — Dorothy Jacks took the oath of office from a woman whose children she’d baby-sat as a 13-year-old in Palm Beach Gardens: retired Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Mary Lupo.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say that was very emotional,” said Jacks, whose voice then faltered with emotion as she said, “there is really nothing better in life than a dream come true.”
Jacks noted that now four of the county’s six constitutional officers are women: herself, Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher, Tax Collector Anne Gannon, and Clerk and Comptroller Sharon Bock, all of who attended Tuesday’s swearing-in. (The other two are State Attorney Dave Aronberg, who also attended, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, who was not there.)
Jacks worked in the property appraiser’s office for 28 years and was chief deputy since 2012 for Gary Nikolits, who stepped down after nearly a quarter-century at the post.
