Frances Hughes, long-time tax assessor for Selma and Dallas County, officially passed on her duties to Weida Sheehan Monday morning at the Dallas County Courthouse. Sheehan will serve the remainder of Hughes’ two-year term.

“I think it will really be a seamless transition,” said Probate Judge Kim Ballard, who swore Sheehan in to office. “I know she’ll do a good job.”

Hughes, who has served Dallas County for 42 years, honorably stepped down as tax assessor and recommended that Sheehan, chief clerk for the tax assessor’s office, replace her.

“Ms. Hughes, she’s been here since 1980 when she first started working with the county,” Ballard said in a previous interview with the Times-Journal. “It pleased me very much that the commission voted unanimously to honor her request that Weida follow her.”

As the county’s new tax assessor, Sheehan will oversee the mapping and appraisal departments as well as the tax assessor’s office. Her service will go into effect New Year’s Day.

At the end of her two-year term, Ballard said he hopes Sheehan is re-elected to her position.

“I’m really looking forward to these next few years,” he said. “We’ve all worked together and overcome many things and we’ll continue to do that in the coming years.”

As for Hughes, Ballard said she made the right decision in stepping down; but he will miss her greatly.

“She made the right decision even though I didn’t want to see her leave,” he said. “I hope she enjoys her retirement, she really deserves it.”