Tipton spruces up after sweeping into office
After 23 years on the job, Terry Tipton, Jr. ran a picture perfect campaign to capture the hearts of Franklin County voters and was elected without opposition to succeed the retiring Rhonda Skipper.
Tipton announced he was running well in advance of the usual time when candidates step forward and then secured a wealth of supporters, both friends and family, who made for a strikingly robust caravan, all wearing campaign t-shirts, at parades.
It became clear early on that the talented church musician and playwright, and wisecracking presence on Facebook, was a popular favorite, so much so that no one launched a campaign to try to secure the seat.
The job, which pays an annual salary of $124,523, oversees a county-wide parcel count of over 18,000, an annual budget of close to $900,000, and total county market value of more than $6 billion.
With his swearing-in Jan. 3 by Clerk of Courts Michele Maxwell, Tipton embarked on the task with the same gusto, repainting the walls, installing three clearly marked service desks for customers, rearranging some offices and designing a new seal.
He kept in place the seven-person staff which has a combined 157 years of appraisal service, led by Chief Deputy Casey Nash with 28; Assistant Deputy Joseph Ferrell with 20; Customer Service Manager Brenda Benjamin with 25; Director of Deed Services Stephanie Smith with 21; Finance Director Megan Shiver with 10; Director of Tangible Personal Property Heather Carroll with 20; and Field Supervisor Aaron Paulk with 10.
“Those that want you to win, help you win,” wrote Tipton, after the swearing-in. “Each person in this office wears many hats and does way more than anyone could imagine.”
In keeping with his dedication to his church, where he oversaw many a Christmas production and concerts, Tipton had his pastor, Sister Susan Roach, from Pentecostal Holiness, provide remarks at his swearing-in, and Pastor Scott Abel bless the food.
In his remarks, he thanked former property appraisers Doris Pendleton and Skipper, as well as Sissy Siprell, who trained him when he started 23 years ago, and a host of friends and family.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.