A Vote of Confidence
After 20 years of working in the Bay County Property
Appraiser's Office, Dan Sowell will soon be running the show. On January 6,
2009, Sowell will officially take office as the Bay County Property Appraiser
after winning the post in the September primary.
"I am excited about it," says Sowell, who has cerebral palsy and uses a
wheelchair for mobility.
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. Florida's Agency for Persons
with Disabilities (APD) is highlighting the contributions of people with
disabilities, like Sowell, to the workforce. Sowell spent the past year
campaigning for the public office.
He says, "I did all the things one does when running for office: TV and radio
spots, participating in forums and rallies, and meeting voters. It was very
busy the last nine months."
Sowell's current title is Assistant Chief Deputy. His duties include working
with the appraisers in the office in establishing the assessed value of land in
Bay County. His other responsibilities include responding to questions about
laws related to property issues and providing customer service to Bay County
citizens.
The current Bay County Property Appraiser, Zane Spitzer, who did not run for
election, says Sowell is a super employee.
"Dan is a wonderful person," Spitzer says. "He is capable, articulate; he can
get anything done in a minimal amount of time. Dan is amazing, just a delight
to work with."
For more than 10 years, APD provided Sowell with a personal care assistant to
help him get ready for work each morning.
"Having that assistance provided me with an ironic sense of independence.
Knowing someone was going to be there each morning to assist me made me
feel
more in control of my life," says Sowell.
Sowell got married in 2001 so no longer needs outside assistance in getting
ready for work. Four years ago, APD installed an electronic door opener in
Sowell's home which he says, "…is really, really nice to have to get in and out
of the house easily."
Sowell graduated from Gulf Coast Community College and Florida State
University, both with campuses in Panama City. He also is a licensed real
estate broker. Sowell encourages people to pursue their education. He says
there are opportunities out there but you need the right knowledge to be able
to take advantage of them, like he has done. He says his faith has also helped
him achieve success.
APD supports people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, and work in their communities. For more information about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, visit www.apdcares.org or call toll-free 1- 866-APD-CARES (1-866-273-2273).
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