Yvette Drucker was sworn in Tuesday as Palm Beach County’s new Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, taking over an office that has faced a turbulent period under former Clerk Mike Caruso. She oversees about 670 employees and an $87.4 million budget, and she serves as the county’s chief financial officer, treasurer and auditor.
Drucker is the first Hispanic woman to hold the post. Her parents immigrated from Cuba in 1957, and she said her swearing-in, with her parents beside her, was a defining moment for her. She spent six years on the Boca Raton City Council, including as deputy mayor, before reaching her term limit.
In an interview with WPTV, Drucker said her first 100 days will focus on learning how each department works, reviewing the budget and finding ways to run the office more efficiently. She said the office must also carry out Amendment 3, which voters approved, and that she plans to rely on interim clerk Shannon Ramsey-Chessman and the office’s experienced staff. She acknowledged she does not know everything yet.
The county’s investments in Israel bonds, about $1 billion according to the source, are a central question. Drucker said she will review the strategy with the county’s finance director and county administrator to confirm the investments still serve taxpayers. She did not commit to keeping or eliminating them, saying only that the county would have to evaluate if the investment stopped making sense. She noted that about 75 percent of the county’s portfolio is not in Israel bonds.
