Vickers, Scarborough, Arrington on a combined 13 terms
Quietly, a handful of Osceola County workers have celebrated the jobs they’ve been chosen to hold—then gone right back to doing those jobs.
Following their 2024 election victories, Osceola’s Supervisor of Elections (Mary Jane Arrington), Property Appraiser (Katrina Scarborough) and Tax Collector (Bruce Vickers) held swearingin ceremonies this past week.
Th eywerescheduled around times when their staffs could attend the gatherings— Vickers’ on Friday evening after the workday, Scarborough and Arrington’s on Tuesday morning right before an office event. They hold important, yet low-key and largely not understood, administrative jobs that are politically earned. The public has had a favorable view of their jobs based on election results; Scarborough and Arrington embark on their fifth term in their roles, and Vickers begins his third.
Add in Clerk of Court and Comptroller Kelvin Soto and Sheriff Marcos Lopez, who were also re-elected by Osceola County voters in 2024, and that’s 17 terms of office for the county’s five constitutional officers.
In the case of two of them, Scarborough’s office sets an appraisal amount that equates to the property tax that Vickers has to collect from them—and people willingly come to their offices to do that.
Vickers, who began working with the Tax Collectors office 24 years ago under predecessor Patsy Heffner, is just the fifth person to fill the role in the office’s 107 years.
“People think the tax collector is the person who sets your taxes, raises or lowers them. But my job is to be the bank of Osceola, and do it efficiently and effectively.” he said. “Every dime and dollar must make it to the correct place so citizens receive the services they rely on.”
Vickers, known as much for his charismatic leadership and presence in the community as his work “behind the counter,” said he relishes his role in ensuring he serves both residents and governments while his office has also been asked to process driver’s licenses and registrations, toll clearances and birth certificates.
“We’re here to make your lives easier,” he said to Friday’s gathering. “It’s a testament to the tremendous growth and vibrance of our community. All of Osceola County has stood up for me, and together we will continue to improve and innovate the way we serve.”
Arrington served two terms on the County Commission before being elected elections supervisor in 2008, said she really means it when talking about the “honor and privilege” of serving the community for over 25 years.”
“Every day coming to work I know I’m coming to a job that really matters,” she said. “The work we do in our office really matters. Democracy starts with our office, and we’ve surrounded ourselves with an outstanding staff that knows what to do and how to get it done, and they love elections. No little girl says when she’s 10 years old, ‘When I grow up, I want to work in elections. We all just sort of land there.’” Arrington, clad in purple for her fifth swearing-in, said that color—it’s prevalent in the office’s logo—has significance.
“We all know there are voters who are red (conservatives) and blue (liberals), and in our office we come together,” she said. “When you mix red and blue you get purple.”
Scarborough began working in the appraiser’s office when she was 16, so her job is truly life’s work.
“It makes me feel very honored that people have confidence in how I do a job I love to do every day,” she said. “And I couldn’t do that job without the staff (of 67) that we have.”
