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TAKING THEIR OATHS Public officials, county residents and members of the news media nearly fill the Commission Cham- bers at the Sarasota County Administration Center on Ringling Boulevard before the swearing-in ceremony begins. Photo by Norman Schimmel THREE SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FORMALLY BEGIN THEIR TERMS AFTER THEIR ELECTION ON NOV. 6 By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor With a number of county and municipal lead- ers joining members of the public to witness the proceedings, the three Sarasota County commissioners formally elected on Nov. 6 raised their right hands and took the oath of office Nov. 20. Chief Judge Andrew D. Owens Jr. of the 12th Judicial Circuit Court did the honors, with Commissioners Charles Hines, Carolyn Ma- son and Christine Robinson repeating the oath after him. Hines won his seat in the August primary, while Mason was unchallenged for a second term on the board. Robinson beat her Demo- cratic opponent in the General Election to win her first full term on the commission. Then- Gov. Charlie Crist appointed her to the board in late 2010 to serve out the unexpired term of Commissioner Shannon Staub. With Robinson and Hines both from Venice, murmurs of excitement could be heard among South County local government officials be- fore the ceremony even began. "It's been an honor to serve you the last 23 months," Robinson told the audience after the ceremony, "and an even greater honor to serve you the next four years."