Polk County’s Local Governments No Longer Need to Go It Alone
Guest Editorial
How to meet the water needs of a growing region when your main water source is reaching its limits? That’s the challenge facing Polk County.
Developing new water supplies is costly and can be especially difficult for smaller communities. It makes sense for the various local governments in the county to work together, share the cost and ensure a water supply for future generations. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) urged local leaders to work together to plan for the region’s future water needs.
In 2016, the county and its local governments formed the Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC) to proactively identify alternative water resources and projects that ensure the future sustainability of the regional water supply. This historic action of joining together elected officials from 16 governments, consisting of 15 cities and Polk County, garnered praise from state leaders and policy makers.
The District initially committed $40 million toward helping the organization form and begin the process of identifying potential supplies. Through its research and collaboration, the cooperative has pinpointed three potential alternative water supply projects.
The District’s Governing Board voted at its April meeting to approve a resolution for future funding of the PRWC alternative water supply projects, committing an additional $25 million, or $5 million a year, over the next five years. The District’s funding will assist in completing projects that can provide an additional 30 million gallons of potable water per day in Polk County.
These are the three ongoing alternative water supply projects being evaluated for future development:
Southeast Wellfield project: This project is a Lower Floridan aquifer production test well study, including the conceptual designs of a wellfield, the associated treatment facility and the regional transmission system in southeastern Polk County.
West Polk County Lower Aquifer Deep Wells project: This project is a Lower Floridan aquifer production test well study, including conceptual designs of a wellfield, the associated treatment facility and the regional transmission system in northwest Polk County.
Peace Creek Integrated Water Supply project: This project is a feasibility study focusing on the determination of options to increase alternative water supplies in central Polk County.
The District’s funding commitment will be based on milestones that must be met through fiscal year (FY) 2023. The financial support to these projects is the next step in this groundbreaking effort to create a new regional model for water resource development in Polk County.
Harrell’s Wins Lakeland Swan Derby For Second Consecutive Year
by James Coulter
For the second consecutive year, a team from Harrell’s LLC in Lakeland won the main race of the Lakeland Swan Derby on Friday evening.
Allison Sahm and Jodi Hardgrov were the two representatives from Harrell’s chosen to participate as jockeys within the race, which was one of three races on Lake Mirror that evening.
The two not only participated last year, but they had also won first place during last year’s event, making this their second consecutive win, Sahm said.
“We are so excited and honored to be here as second-time champs,” she said.
When asked what the key to their two-time success was, Hardgrov replied that it was due to the loving support that they received from their colleagues at Harrell’s, a local distributor of fertilizers, insecticides, and other high-quality “agronomic solutions”, as described by their website.
“We love the people,” she said. “They are fun fancy people.”
The two jockeys were one of ten teams that participated during the main race of the Lakeland Swan Derby.
Hosted one week prior to the Kentucky Derby, the annual event serves as the Lakeland equivalent with jockeys racing in hand crafted, pedal-powered swan boats along Lake Mirror in three races.
“The Lakeland Derby captures the thrill of a race and the purity of sports entertainment in a hometown setting,” its website states.
For the price of a “Super Ticket”, local organizations and businesses such as Harrell’s can sponsor the event and allow their members to participate in the fun-filled race to the finish as jockeys.
While racers compete on the water, spectators can watch the free event from the Lake Mirror Promenade, either lounging upon the grass or sidewalk, or even watching from high above on the balconies of the Garden Bistro.
Aside from the race, attendees could also enjoy the evening by eating food served from food trucks, listening to music by live bands, or participating in other fun activities such as hat contests.
The derby-style event serves as a fundraiser for Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine (LVIM), a local non-profit organization which helps fund medical and dental healthcare for the working uninsured in the area.
Since its inception 11 years ago, the derby has grown bigger and better each year with more attendees and participants, explained Alice Koehler, LVIM Chief Development Officer.
This year’s turnout proved to be much larger than last year’s, especially since last’s year’s event occurring during the hottest day on record for the last Friday in April, she said.
The event raises approximately $200,000 for LVIM, and just as with the attendance and turnout, the donations also continue to remain strong through local community support, Koehler said.
“I love the whole community coming together, I love everyone’s enthusiasm with getting into the theme…and coming together with their families to watch the races,” she said.
Clay Roberts and his wife, Darcee, also participated that evening on behalf of Southeastern University, and even won first place in another of the three races that evening through their team, “The Swan That You Want.”
Not only does he love being able to engage in a fun activity with his wife, but Roberts also loves being able to support a local organization that in turn supports the whole community.
“It is a great event,” he said. “It is a great opportunity for our community to come together, and I hope everyone comes out in the future.”
On Monday, April 30, 2018, PCSO Traffic deputies arrested 26-year-old Cody Wheeler of Bentley Oaks Blvd in Auburndale for 2 counts Leaving the Scene of a Crash Causing Serious Bodily Injury (F-2), after he was positively identified as the driver who hit two bicyclists on Spirit Lake Road in Winter Haven and fled the scene, on Wednesday, April 25, 2018.
According to the affidavit, the two victims – 30-year-old Alicia Eggersdorf and 35-year-old Steve Lampone – were riding their bicycles north on Spirit Lake Road, just north of Thornhill Road, around 25 minutes after midnight on the morning of April 25th (AKA the late evening hours of Tuesday, April 24th) when they were both struck from behind by an unknown vehicle. Both bicycles had operational lights. There were no witnesses to the crash. Both victims had significant injuries and were transported to an area hospital.
During the investigation, Traffic deputies analyzed the debris left at the scene, and identified the suspect vehicle as a 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. They also reviewed surveillance videos from cameras in the area. During the investigation, a possible suspect vehicle was identified as being registered to a man and a woman living on Bentley Oaks Blvd. in Auburndale – the man’s name was Cody Wheeler. The truck is a white 2014 Chevy Silverado.
Traffic deputies interviewed the co-registrant of the truck, who confirmed she and her boyfriend Cody own the truck, that Cody is the only one who drives the truck, and that Cody was driving the truck that night. She told deputies that when Cody got home just after 12:30 a.m., he asked her to back her car out of the garage so that he could park the truck inside it. He told her that he hit something, and she observed the broken front headlight and damage.
Deputies observed the truck parked in the garage, and the front-end damage consistent with the crash.
Traffic deputies then responded to Wheeler’s place of employment in Bartow, where they interviewed him. Wheeler confessed to crashing into something on the roadway that night, stopping at a nearby Publix store to inspect the damage to his truck, then driving home and parking inside the garage. He told deputies he wasn’t sure what he hit.
He was booked into the Polk County Jail on Monday night, April 30th, and will have a first appearance hearing this afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
“Here is yet another example of an irresponsible motorist, who might not have been criminally charged if he had stopped to assist these two victims and contacted law enforcement. Because he fled the scene, he is facing two serious felony charges. We are encouraged by the reports that these victims should recover, although it will be a slow and painful process.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Project EAGLE Keeping Winter Haven Lakes Clean For Nearly 30 Years
by James Coulter
Judy Howell remembers attending the very first event for Project EAGLE (Enhancing A Great Living Environment), the annual lakeside cleanup event for Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful, 29 years ago.
More than three decades have passed, and she has continued to attend the event each and every year to help do her part to ensure that Winter Haven’s lakes remain clean and beautiful.
When Project EAGLE first started 29 years ago, the event was much larger and even included helicopters aiding in the cleanup operation, Howell said.
Even after the event’s state funding from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) ceased, the annual event never did, having continued on stronger, and it will hopefully continue to do so in the future, Howell said.
“I hope that there will be enough people who become more involved, because there is always trash that is blowing in the lake,” she said.
Hosted through a partnership between Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful (KWHCB) and the City of Winter Haven, the annual event is hosted on the fourth Saturday in April, around the same time as Earth Day, to provide local residents the opportunity to help clean their local lakes.
The event is hosted at Lake Shipp Park, where volunteers gather early in the morning to disperse to the surrounding lakes to either pick up litter along the shore or ride a boat out into the water to collect floating debris.
Around noon, the volunteers return to the park to refresh themselves with a picnic lunch and partake in various activities, including perusing vendors from local educational and environmental groups, listening to live music, or even watching a ski show performed by the Cypress Gardens Ski Team.
Each year draws in as many as 300 to 500 volunteers, with this year’s event experiencing a similar turnout, including 102 Boy Scouts from two local troops, said Tracey Mercer, KWHCB Executive Director.
Last year’s event had volunteers collect more than 2.9 tons of litter and trash from the local lakes. Of the litter within local lakes, 80 percent are blown in from the land, while 20 percent is deposited by boaters, Mercer explained.
Winter Haven has more than 30 lakes within its Chain of Lakes system, and more than 50 within its city limits. As its crystal clear lakes help create the overall image of Winter Haven, keeping these lakes crystal clear ought to remain a high priority for the community, Mercer said.
While most events hope to get more and more people every year, Mercer hopes for the exact opposite, as it would mean less garbage and litter is ending up in the lakes.
“We hope to get less and less, because then we know that people are becoming more litter conscious and minded and will not throw litter down,” she said.
Rick Cardon, KWHCB Board Member, and a worker within the city’s solid waste department, shares these sentiments, as while he and many others look forward to participating in the event every year, he hopes that there will come a time when events like this are no longer necessary.
“Our goal is to never pick up more volume than we did before, our goal is that we hopefully won’t have to pick up anything from the lakes,” he said.
Habitat For Humanity Opens Additional ReStore Location In Dundee
by James Coulter
The Habitat For Humanity of East Polk County (HFHEPC) will now be able to service the home improvement needs of county residents living along or near Highway 27 with their new ReStore location in Dundee.
Last Saturday saw the grand opening of HFHEPC’s newest ReStore location during their ribbon cutting ceremony, which drew in a small crowd including officials from Winter Haven, Haines City, and Dundee.
Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has been following Christ’s commandments to “do unto one of the least of these” by helping provide shelter for those who are without, helping to shelter more than three million people worldwide and renovate more than 600,000 houses, according to their website.
Helping with their missions are their ReStores, which are non-profit home improvement stores that sell new and gently-used furniture, lighting, carpets, electronics, home accessories, and other home repair and improvement items provided through individual and corporate donations.
Donations are tax-deductible, items are sold at reduced discount prices, and proceeds from the sales go towards operational costs as well as the funding for the construction of Habitat homes, as reported by Inside Polk Magazine.
HFHEPC’s ReStore along Recker Highway in Winter Haven has been so blessed with a record number of donations in recent years that the store has become overfull, said Julie Garish, HFHEPC Executive Director.
“So we were overfull there, and the best thing to do when overfull is to open another location,” Garish said.
And so they did.
Once the location of the former Blue Ribbon citrus packing firm in Dundee became available, Garish and the other board members decided to move forward with purchasing the building and renovating it as their ReStore’s second location.
Purchasing the building was easy enough, but renovating it proved to be their biggest challenge, as they spent nine months permitting the store, installing new insulation, renovating the air conditioning system, and re-roofing the entire building to make it “shopper-friendly”, explained Sharon Watson, HFHEPC President.
“It has been a labor of love with many volunteers who have spent hours and hours out here re-modeling, and we are just excited to open a new store,” she said.
Aside from giving the organization additional space through a second property location with more than three acres, the new ReStore will hopefully also attract more customers and donors, especially between Lake Wales and Davenport.
While they are currently not accepting new applications for home ownership, they hope to do so come this fall, Garish said.
Until then, they hope to service more people within the East Polk County area and attract more support from along the corridor of Highway 27.
“It has been a great experience,” she said. “The turnout has been wonderful, and we thank all the volunteers and staff and supporters who have helped us…[and] also to let people know that when you are shopping, you are helping to build a home.”
Habitat For Humanity of East Polk County’s ReStore is located at 27985 US Hwy 27 in Dundee. For more information, visit their website at: http://habitateastpolk.org
Haines City Public Works Department in partnership with LE/AD (Lakes Education/Action Drive) is holding a community event like no other! Families, corporate groups, Boy & Girl Scout Troops and many others can join together to take on the Cardboard Boat challenge! This event helps raise awareness about Haines City lakes and important water resources and how we all must play a role in protecting them. People can reduce their impact on the environment through the lifestyle choices they make every day. Celebrate our lakes and join the fun!
THE CHALLENGE:
To build a boat out of cardboard and duct tape, and then put 2 people inside to race around a course, be the first to make it across the finish line without sinking.
Haines City Cardboard Boat Challenge
On-Site Built Registration 8 A.M. – 8:30 A.M.
Cardboard Boat Building On-site 8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
On Thursday, April 26, 2018, the PCSO Undercover Vice Unit conducted an operation at Saddle Creek Park, Gator Creek Preserve, and Circle B Preserve in unincorporated Polk County, in response to complaints about lewd activity at the parks. Four suspects were arrested for lewd activity.
82-year-old Robert Lee Greene of Silver Lakes Drive East in Lakeland, grabbed an undercover male detective at one of the parks, exposed himself, and solicited the detective to perform a sex act. He was arrested and charged with one count indecent exposure (M-1), one count soliciting another for lewdness (M-1), and two counts battery (M-1). He was issued a trespass from all parks in the county. He remains in the Polk County Jail in lieu of $2,000 bond.
59-year-old Gene Smith, Jr., of Bradbury Road in Haines City, exposed himself to an undercover male detective at a park, and solicited him to perform a sex act. He was arrested and charged with one count indecent exposure (M-1), and one count soliciting another for lewdness (M-1). He was issued a trespass from all parks in the county. He was released from the Polk County Jail after posting $1,000 bond.
26-year-old Clint Stinson of Pleasant Place in Lakeland, solicited an undercover male detective at a park to perform a sex act. He was arrested and charged with one count soliciting another for lewdness (M-1). He was issued a trespass from all parks in the county. He was released from the Polk County Jail after posting $500 bond.
50-year-old James Thames of Citrus Hill Drive in Polk City, solicited an undercover male detective at a park to perform a sex act. He was arrested and charged with one count soliciting another for lewdness (M-1). He was issued a trespass from all parks in the county. He was released from the Polk County Jail after posting $500 bond.
“Clean It Up to Green It Up” Program heads back to the Wahneta and Eloise Communities on May 5, 2018.
Keep Polk County Beautiful, Inc. in partnership with Polk County Board of County Commissioners is bringing their “Clean It Up to Green It Up” Program back to Wahneta and Eloise Communities on May 5, 2018.
Residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this pilot program that will consist of a large-scale trash pick up throughout the selected community (clean sweep). This program will provide disposal of items that are NOT generally collected with their residential garbage such as remodeling & household construction debris (shingles, drywall, etc.) on THIS DAY ONLY. All households are asked to participate by placing these items by the curb no later than 7 am for this one day event.
Absolutely NO tires or hazardous waste will be collected curbside.
All residents of Polk County are asked to join Keep Polk County Beautiful at the Centro Guadalupano Church at 2150 Bomber Rd, Wahneta for a FREE Tire Recycling Event from 8am- noon. Please abide by the waste hauling permit laws and do not transport more than 24 tires at a time. This event is open to residents, property and agricultural land owners only. ABSOLUTELY NO automotive, tire or dealership businesses permitted.
Trash & Tire collection services donated by Advanced Disposal Services.
For additional information on the “Clean It Up to Green It Up” program, Tire Recycling or to find out when/if this program is scheduled to come to your community, contact Keep Polk County Beautiful, Inc. at (863) 875-8911 or email [email protected] .
It is a violation of Florida Administrative Code Rules to transport more than 24 Waste Tires over public highways without a permit. Violation of this rule would constitute a 1st degree criminal misdemeanor and be punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000 and/or by 6 months in jail for further information please regarding the handling of waste tires please visit the DEP website http://www.dep.state.fl.us/ .
For Tire Recycling limits and questions, contact KPCB before the event date. KPCB and Waste Resource Management (Board of County Commissioners) will be at this community event to answer any trash/recycling questions, provide informational items and provide residents with a recycling bin if they currently do not have one.
Main Street Frostproof Offers Presentation For A Better City
by James Coulter
Imagine a small rural town nestled between two scenic lakes and hidden amidst a sea of orange groves.
Imagine a close-knit community where residents and guests alike can reside either in cozy “tiny houses “within a “pocket neighborhood” or in loft apartments overlooking a bustling downtown area with shops, cafes, and galleries.
Imagine a downtown area where people can safely stroll along sidewalks of colorful pavement and foliage, where they can choose to sit back and relax with a cold beer, peruse artwork by local artists, visit historic landmarks such as the local theater, or simply enjoy the overall vibrant atmosphere.
The good news is that the location for such a community already exists within Frostproof, a small town located less than ten minutes south of Lake Wales.
The better news is that, while this small town isn’t quite like the previously described community, it has the potential of becoming that way if the residents truly believe they can help make it that way.
This vision of what Frostproof could potentially become through revitalization efforts was presented to residents on Thursday evening through a presentation by Main Street Frostproof.
The presentation was created by a resource team of four representatives from across the state and country using data they had collected during their visit over the past three days, which included town hall meetings, community surveys, and walking tours.
Using the data they collected during that time, they created a presentation of what the city could look like with their proposed changes and recommendations.
One way these changes could be implemented is through façade component grants provided to local businesses in small increments over several years, allowing them to revitalize their buildings’ exteriors with signage, awning, and lighting.
Randy Wilson, Community Design Solutions Architect in South Carolina, and one of the resource team members, used the old Roscoe’s Gas Station as an example, showing how the old building could be transformed into a restaurant through such small changes.
Wilson also proposed refurbishing the town’s epicenter at the intersection of Wall Street and Scenic Highway, with proposals to widen the sidewalks and curbs, paint pavements, and provide more street foliage as to better accommodate pedestrians.
His proposal also included showcasing local artwork within vacant storefronts, converting the upper floors of downtown buildings into loft apartments, and converting one of the local car dealers into a combination brewery pub.
All these changes would not only revitalize the downtown area, but also help preserve the overall uniqueness of the city.
“There is not a single place on Earth like Frostproof,” he said. “So it is important to make it look like the best Frostproof it can be and not try to be like any other town.”
Main Street America is a nationwide organization which seeks to revitalize local communities across America through a community-driven approach towards downtown revitalization and economic development.
The resource team visit was one of the initial services provided to newly-formed Main Street communities, of which Frostproof was one of three cities within Florida designated as such last year by Florida’s Secretary of State.
“It is all about you, the community, to make it what you want it to be,” explained Ronni Wood, Coordinator of the Florida Main Street Program. “We were not here for three days to tell you what we want it to be, but what you all want it to be.”
Since 1980, more than 2,000 programs utilizing this Main Street approach have been implemented within communities nationwide, resulting in $74.73 billion reinvested back into those communities, she explained.
Such a community-driven approach involved collecting community feedback, including through an online survey which received 108 responses from local residents, said Kathy LePlante, Director of Coordinating Programs for National Main Street.
When asked what words best described their city’s downtown area, survey recipients responded with a mixture of positive terms such as “quaint” and “historic” along with less than positive terms such as “empty”; and when asked about the biggest issues within their downtown area, the three top issues cited were store variety, vacancies, and entertainment, she further elucidated.
Tackling these issues would require a more proactive approach from residents and businesses owners through “economic vitality”, an approach in which residents cause change to happen downtown rather than waiting for things to happen, LePlante explained.
“Nobody is coming from outside to save you,” she said. “You need to figure out how to do it with the resources in the community.”
Jessica Newman, Executive Director for Main Street Wachula, further explained this proactive approach by sharing ways that residents can promote their community and improve its overall image.
Narrowing in on Frostproof’s nickname as “The Friendly City”, Newman explained that promoting the city’s namesake could be as simple as sharing photos of downtown businesses and people through social media, distributing smiley face buttons at local businesses, and showcasing local artwork.
“Promotion is more than party planning and events,” she said. “Promotion helps make your community a destination…[and] it is a way to bring the community together and reinvigorate community pride.”
Kelly Banks, Executive Director for Frostproof Main Street, was impressed by the team’s efforts to understand the city’s needs and propose ideas to help improve the downtown area, for which she has nothing but high expectations.
“I really want to bring vitality and color down to Frostproof to show there is life, that we have a lot of good businesses here, and to draw in new [businesses],” she said.
