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State Sen. Paula Dockery, who was unopposed, will meet commissioners and view the county by helicopter.
By WILL VAN SANT
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 12, 2002
BROOKSVILLE -- State Sen. Paula Dockery is scheduled to visit Hernando County today to familiarize herself with a community she will represent in Tallahassee but with which she has little direct experience.
Dockery, a 41-year-old Republican from Polk County who served three terms in the state House, will be introduced at the Hernando County Commission meeting shortly before 11 a.m. Afterward, Dockery will have brief, private meetings with each commissioner and then board a Sheriff's Office helicopter to get a bird's-eye view of the county.
In July, Dockery captured the Senate District 15 seat when no candidates filed to oppose her. This year, the Florida Legislature divided Hernando County between two districts, 11 and 15. District 15 includes most of the area east of Deltona Boulevard, home to about 55 percent of the county's population.
Dockery, who lives in Lakeland, is the first senator in a decade to represent Hernando County and live elsewhere. Other counties included in her district are Polk, Lake, Sumter and Osceola. Eighteen percent of the 400,000 people in District 15 live in Hernando County.
Previously, all of Hernando County was represented by Republican Sen. Ginny Brown-Waite, who was elected to Congress last week.
"It's a day for me to learn more about my district and meet people there so that I can better represent them," said Dockery, who is making her fourth trip to the county, her first since the Nov. 5 election.
Dockery has a reputation for championing property rights and environmental causes. She has served as House majority whip and as chairwoman of the general appropriations and environmental protection committees.
Dockery said that in the coming session she would like to continue her focus on the environment by heading the Natural Resources Committee.
Given mounting development and infrastructure pressure, natural resources management is critical to the future of both Hernando County and the state, Dockery said.
-- Will Van Sant covers Hernando County government and can be reached at 754-6127. Send e-mail to vansant@sptimes.com .