Sarasota Charter Review Board District 2: Doreen Dupont

Name: Doreen Dupont

Age: 67

Family: Single

Bio:

Originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., I am a native of Florida since 1990. In 1975 I received a Bachelor Science in communication arts from Cornell University. Subsequently, I studied medicine in Guadalajara, Mexico, in Spanish, and finished my medical school training in 1979 at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. Retired in 2007, for many years I practiced as a general practitioner, and later on I became licensed as a civil surgeon for the Department of Homeland Security, as well as DEA licensed to treat opioid addiction outpatient. With my communications degree I have become a credentialed broadcast journalist, and I did serve as part of the White House Press pool when President Barack Obama visited the Everglades for Earth Day 2015. Additionally, I was credentialed press at the most recent UN Climate conference in Spain, COP25. I have been broadcasting on local AM radio for many many years now. Currently, I am remotely admitted to court in London, covering the Assange extradition hearing, and have facilitated an important document release.

As a physician I worked in ERs, had a primary care practice in Ohio, and in Florida I served as a civil surgeon for the Department of Homeland Security, and I ran an outpatient opioid detox center in Sarasota. Throughout my career as a physician, I have been very politically active, including having served as a delegate to the AMA, as well as a serving on the board of the Belmont Co. American Cancer Society and other boards. Under President George W. Bush I was honored by the Presidential Roundtable Commission with a Commission of Accomplishment for Florida and as a Physician of the Year. At a more grassroots level, I served as a 2016 Democratic National Delegate to the convention in Philadelphia. Since then I founded #Indivisible CD-16 FL in 2017. I am an active board member of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida, as well as the Environmental Caucus of Sarasota County Democrats and the Sarasota-Charlotte Democratic Progressive Caucus. I served on the bylaws committee of the DECF for six months and during the last round of county legislative delegation meetings that we had I presented a proposed bill that I wrote amending a Florida statue to nine different counties. 

I have always been a nature enthusiast, and I am a published scientist. My publications include The Lancet medical journal, The AMA newsletter, a multitude of lay health care publications and more recently The Invading Sea and the Sarasota Herald Tribune. The Sierra Club has been longstanding passion of mine, and for many years now I have been a Lifetime Member. In March 2019, I trained with Al Gore to be in his Climate Reality Leader Leadership Corps. As a climate reality leader I give presentations of Al Gore's Climate Crisis and Solutions. Currently, I serve as chair of activism of the Environmental Caucus of Sarasota County Democrats. I co-host and mentor the Sarasota Students For Climate.

Why do you want to serve on the Charter Review Board?

I have two main motivations to serve:

1. I would like to help insure that the interests of the citizens of Sarasota County are heard and that their right to have input is protected; and
2. I would like to help establish a priority of our county government so it that operate in a manner that conserves our environment.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities during my term?

After first establishing a good and respectful working relationship with the other members and getting up to date on any issues facing the board, the following would be my top priorities:

1. Because there are no specified meetings for the Charter Review Board now in our charter, I would like there to be specified that the board meet six times annually, once every two months. Of the six meetings, three should be solely for the purpose of citizens being able to tell the board what changes, if any, they would like to see;
2. Additionally I would like to focus on our environment and direction of our development. I see two ways to do that. First, there should be mention of conservation of our environment inserted into our charter, ideally added to the purpose. This would be as a measure to have a reference that we must safeguard and conserve our natural beauty and resources, including focusing on our infrastructure to do that; and
3. Further, I would like the threshold for Land Use Increases in Density and Intensity to be raised to a unanimous vote, except for infrastructure and outdoor recreational facilities, which I would leave as is. That would enhance and protect our county and also increase tourism to our area by having new, world-class recreational and arts facilities.

Where do you stand: Should the Charter Review Board be proactive initiating changes to charter, or should the board make recommendations based on voter desires and ideas brought to the board?

Both should matter. Voter desires should override the board, but the board itself should be able to be proactive in initiating changes.

What is your position on turning the Charter Review Board into an appointed position rather than an elected office?

I oppose such a change. The voters should not lose their right to input. It is our constitutional right that our charter is from we the people to serve the people. We should not favor special interests with appointments over this important elected trust of the people.

What, if anything, in your view needs to be updated/changed in the county charter?

• Charter Review members should be elected by single-member districts, so that the entire county does not have to vote for all members.
• I would like to see insertions of dedicated public input meetings.
• Increases in land use density and intensity should require a unanimous vote. I would encourage allowing for the lesser vote requirement for infrastructure and outdoor recreational facilities, which would boost our economy and lifestyles.
• I would like conservation of environment mentioned.

The CRB has been discussing changes to the charter amendment process. What's your position on that?

I oppose changes that would make it tougher for citizen input. Most people don't know what the Charter Review Board does. The Charter Review Board should be more interactive with our community to better serve it as our conditions change.

What are you comments about reforming the CRB, so it mirrors the State Constitutional Revision Commission—appointed members every 10 or 20 years to review the charter, rather than the existing system of elected members who serve four-year terms?

The existing system of elected members who serve four-year terms is much better for all our citizens, as well as for the prosperity of our county.