Meet Gwen Jobes, Southampton’s Tax Collector
Even in Biblical times, Tax Collectors
got a bad rap. However, most Tax
Collector’s are ordinary people just like you and me. For all you know, that nice person living next door to you could
be a Tax Collector!
Gwen Jobes is one of those nice, friendly
neighbors, the mother of three children, wife of Melvin (Ted) Jobes for 28
years, and an active volunteer in community and church activities. She just happens to also be the Township Tax
Collector.
Gwen started working for Southampton
Township in 1986 as the Tax Clerk under
the tutelage of our former Tax Collector, Joan Wescott. She received her certification in 1989, at
which time the Township Committee appointed her as Deputy Tax Collector. Upon the retirement of Mrs. Wescott in 1996,
Gwen was appointed Tax Collector.
As Tax Collector, Gwen is responsible for handling the quarterly collection of taxes,
from folding, stuffing and mailing the tax bills, receiving payments by mail
and at the window, and maintaining accurate records of all tax payments. There are a variety of reports to be filed,
and all kinds of regulations to follow, dealing with Senior Citizen deductions,
bankruptcies, delinquent accounts, credit accounts, bank codes, etc. In addition, Gwen is responsible for the
annual tax sale, which helps keep the uncollected taxes down and contributes
towards a favorable tax rate for the Township.
Because of the nature of our Community,
many of our Township employees have other duties beyond their primary
responsibility. Gwen is Registrar of
Vital Statistics for Southampton, making certain that every birth, death and
marriage for the township is recorded properly. As “Discovery Clerk”, Gwen also assists the Court System by
providing defendants with copies of police reports.
As a staff member, Gwen has assumed the
responsibility of coordinating the Sunshine Club within the Municipal Building,
and each year she becomes actively involved in the Township’s Easter Egg Hunt.
Outside of her Township responsibilities,
Gwen is very active in our community as Director of the Salvation Army for
Southampton, Tabernacle and Shamong, helping with electric, heating, groceries,
school supplies, and new shoes and clothing for under-privileged children. Gwen is the former Welfare Director for
Southampton and continues to elicit the cooperation of our local schools in
locating needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas to receive complete
holiday meals, Turkey included! She
solicits food donations from our Township employees for this commendable
project. Gwen and her family are
members of the local Vincentown Grange # 67.
Gwen was born in Philadelphia, raised in
Delanco, moved to Pemberton Borough in 1968, and graduated from Pemberton
Township High School.
Ted and Gwen have raised three children
in Southampton: Michelle, 22, who is working on her Master’s degree in
Toxicology and her PHD at Rutgers University in New Brunswick; Melissa, 21, is
at Burlington County College in Mount Laurel, studying to become a Registered
Nurse; Aaron is 14 and an eighth grade student
at Southampton School #3. If you’ve
ever attended an event at the Vincentown Grange, you were probably served by
one of Gwen’s children!
In addition to all her community
involvement, Gwen finds time for other personal enjoyment, such as fishing on
the family boat, reading and cooking.
Gwen and her family provide the catering for Southampton Day and other events,
both public and private.
Gwen arrives at the office early every
day to make sure everything is running smoothly. And despite how you feel when you come into the office to pay
your taxes, Gwen tries to make the effort less taxing by her pleasant smile and
her efficient service