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to resolve issues without going
public. We’ve also instituted a
monthly meeting with the mayor
of Fort Pierce, the county commission
chair and the school board
chair to discuss issues relevant to
all four governmental bodies.
Q. As a woman, do you have any
unique challenges as mayor?
A. I don’t think so. I don’t look at
this any differently than any other
person would if they were mayor.
Q. The city made big concessions
to bring the Torrey Pines Institute
for Molecular Studies to Port St.
Lucie, including a promise to
build a lab and headquarters here
by 2008. Is this worth it and what
will Torrey Pines bring to Port St.
Lucie?
A. It’s definitely worth it. Torrey
Pines is bringing a minimum of
189 jobs itself. It will also bring
spinoff companies that will operate
and employ residents from
Port St. Lucie and areas around
Port St. Lucie. At the same time,
it’s putting us on the international
map in the biotech field and other
fields.
Q. St. Lucie West seems to have
developed an identity apart from
Port St. Lucie, even though it is
part of the city. How do you feel
about that?
A. I don’t have a problem with it.
Over the last few years, I think it’s
become more of a part of city of
Port St. Lucie than in the past.
Q. What are you reading?
A. Actually I’m reading your magazine
Indian River. It’s a really
nice magazine.
Q. What’s your most treasured
possession besides your family?
A. It’s something I just found
recently. My father passed away in
June, and as I was going through
some of his personal effects I
found the gavel he used when on
town council in Smithfield, Rhode
Island. We thought he was just on
it for eight years, but the engraving
on the gavel showed it was 24.
I had the gavel with me on the
dias the night I was sworn in and I
now have it in my office.
Name: Patricia Christensen
Job: mayor of Port St. Lucie
Age: 49
Education: Graduate of Prout Memorial High
School for Girls in South Kingstown, R.I.; attended
Rhode Island Junior College and the
University of Rhode Island.
Background: Christensen grew up in Rhode
Island and moved to Port St. Lucie with her husband
and children in 1987. She was elected to the
City Council in 1990. She ran unsuccessfully for
mayor in 1994 and was off the council until she
was elected to a council seat in 2000. She won the
mayor’s race last November by 364 votes — the
exact number of ballots that resulted in her
defeat in 1994.
Personal: Married to Frans Christensen, a civil
engineer inspector and native of Denmark.
Together they are the parents of seven children
including 14-year-old twin boys who were the
first twins born at Port St. Lucie Medical Center.
Hobbies: “We go camping as frequently as we
can, mostly in the state of Florida, but we also
like to travel to Tennessee.’’
Something people don’t know about me: “I
enjoy singing but never have joined any choral
groups or choirs. Maybe some day that will be
something I’ll do when I have more time.’’