Maury Jacobson was born Aug. 18, 1920, the youngest of five siblings. Their father died in an explosion when Maury was 9. Growing up during the Depression, he learned important life lessons from his mother. “We shared meals with strangers who’d knock on our door,” he said. “We didn’t have any money, but she’d invite them in, split our dinner with them, and treat them like old friends.”
His parents had emigrated from Lithuania in the late 1890s. The Jacobson family lived in a working class neighborhood in Brooklyn, where most of the neighbors were not born in the United States. “I was from a generation that talked about issues,” he said. “We always discussed what was going on in the world.”
Jacobson has been involved in all levels of government, and served South Palm Beach as a commissioner and mayor from 1993 to March, 2009.
A widower, he has two daughters. Lynn, a social worker, lives in Israel. “She has a daughter, Livia, who recently gave birth to my great grandson, Be’eri.” Janet has a company in Paris.
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A. I went to public schools in Brooklyn. At Brooklyn Tech, I studied mechanical engineering, but I had to leave to go to night school because I had to take care of my mother, Sarah.
She taught me a great deal about life and to have an understanding and empathy for people. Over the years, I developed the feeling that the great treasures of life are people. Most people try to do the right thing.
I have never missed an opportunity to go to technical and cultural seminars and cultural affairs. My brother, an attorney, introduced me to music and books.
My wife, Fran, was my greatest inspiration. We were married 51 years, 7 months, 22 days — give an hour or two — until she expired in JFK hospital.
Q. What professions have you worked at outside of public service? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A. I had a number of jobs before working for the government. Since I was a machinist, after the war, I decided to go into business and repaired appliances and air conditioners. My middle sister, Minerva, was a serious heart patient. Her husband latched on to an air conditioner, which extended her life. That inspired me to enter that field. The air-conditioner industry was so new, and I was a part of a national organization, which became the Air Conditioning Contractors of America.
Q. Why did you decide to run for public office?
A. I have always been active in federal, state, county and local government.
I was the national president of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America in 1974 and 1975, and presented a paper on energy and the economy to President Ford at the White House. In 1976, I was appointed to the Palm Beach County Advisory Board to the County Commission on energy and, at the same time, I was appointed to the county’s Citizens Task Force. I was also the longest sitting member on the advisory to the county commissioners concerning zoning and development.
In 1993, a friend asked me to attend a meeting of 15 or more people and they asked me if I would run for town commissioner. I was surprised, talked to my wife about it, and decided to run.
Q. What was your favorite part about being mayor and commissioner of South Palm Beach for so many years? What were your major accomplishments while in office?
A. The pride of being a mayor and commissioner — I tried to be open, responsive and reflective on issues so that people could feel free to speak their points. The development of our present phenomenal staff was a contribution I’m most proud of — our town manager, Rex Taylor, town clerk, Janet Whipple, Yudy Alvarez and Sandy Fine, on staff, and Charles O’Neal, in charge of landscape maintenance. I’m proud of our town attorney, Trela White, and our police captain, Roger Crane, and his staff, who are outstanding and responsive to people on an individual basis, and give them caring attention. All these things happened doing my “tour of duty.”
I’m proud of our contract with the Palm Beach County Fire Department, which has given us a level of service absolutely outstanding.
I was instrumental in bringing together county, state and federal levels of government involved in beach restoration, along with our neighbors in Manalapan, Palm Beach and Lantana, to address the issue of beach erosion and installation of breakwaters to provide beach stability.
Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?
A. I have always been a strong advocate on education. That’s yours and becomes a part of you. Expand on it, and make it as broad as you can.
I think young people should learn everything that there is to know about their careers, and be the best there is to be. They should be like a sponge and not leave any door closed. They should have broad concepts, rather than tunnel vision. The higher your status is in the chain or an organization, the broader your vision should become.
Don’t ever accept success at the expense of values and principles in life.
Q. How did you choose to make your home in South Palm Beach?
A. While living in Bethesda, Maryland, we came to Orlando for a convention, and then visited South Palm Beach based on a friend’s recommendation. It was a small, undeveloped town with a growing community. We fell in love with it, moved here in 1974, and have had a wonderful life here.
Q. What is your favorite part about living in South Palm Beach?
A. I love the ambience of the community.
At first, cultural activities were limited. Today, it’s a strong cultural center and residents have the opportunity to listen to guest speakers, and interact with different ideas on issues that confront our world at large. South Palm Beach affords opportunities for residents to enjoy life to the fullest, grow as individuals, and know that they are still part of the world that we live in.
Q. What do you feel is the single most difficult decision the town will have to make in the next five years?
A. The most important issue we face is beach erosion, restoration and stability.
Concerning development, I don’t want South Palm Beach to become a concrete jungle. Change should reflect the people of the community.
Q. Who or what makes you laugh?
A. I laugh very easily. I enjoy people. I think that people are great. I can laugh with everybody.
Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
A. South Palm Beach is a village of and by the sea, bound by it on all sides, and although we love and adore the sea, it doesn’t always love us.
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