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Polk Commission Watch | TheLedger.com
 

A Ledger Blog

Polk Commission Watch

County reporter Tom Palmer's blog about commission action and inaction

Marsha Faux opponent Blake launches new site

Tuesday, at 6:01 by

Steve Blake, who announced last year to run against Polk County Property Appraiser Marsha Faux  but has been little heard from since, has launched a revised website,  he announced Tuesday. He said he is launching a drive to qualify for election by petition. Faux announced her plans earlier this month to seek a fourth term. This is a nonpartisan race that will be decided in the  Aug. 14 election. Faux is running on her record, So is Blake. He has… Read More »

Next Phase Of Rail Rerouting Study Near Start

Thursday, at 5:52 by

Now that ground has been broken for the Orlando area’s SunRail commuter rail line and work is under way on the new CSX rail terminal in the Winter Haven suburbs, work is set to resume on one of the issues that made the entire project controversial: the perception that these projects  will produce significantly increased train traffic through downtown Lakeland and spoil years of progress in redevelopment there. That examination will come in the way of  the second phase of… Read More »

Hot and Cold on USFP

Thursday, at 6:43 by

What a difference six months makes. Tuesday the County Commission refused to approve a resolution that would get if further into the debate over the status of the future of the USF Polytechnic campus. ChairmanSam Johnson, who was a little uneasy in acting on the resolution commissioners approved in August endorsing the idea of USFP’s independence, said this week  he didn’t want to provide more ammo to either side in the current battle. He felt things had gotten out of hand. Commissioner… Read More »

Freeman: USFP good thing, no matter what

Thursday, at 10:26 by

The controversy over the details of USF Polytech in Lakeland’s future came up briefly during County Manager Jim Freeman’s State of the County address in Haines City at a gathering composed mostly of local business and government leaders. Freeman said he didn’t know how things would turn out in Tallahassee, but assured the crowd “the result will be positive for Polk County.” David Touchton, who’s temporarily in charge of the campus, is scheduled to address the County Commission Tuesday to… Read More »

Legislature May Dump Health Depts. In Counties’ Lap

Tuesday, at 3:33 by

Forget about casinos and prisons. The issue in Tallahassee this week that has local officials atwitter this week is a proposal to turn most of the functions of  Florida Department of Health over to counties. That would come by giving them control of local health department offices, which are now run by the Department of Health,  a state agency. State grants are supposed to pay for that, but local officials have always been skeptical of having to rely on state… Read More »

Second DCA Urges Term Limit Decision

Thursday, at 8:04 by

Add a panel of judges at the Second District Court of Appeal in Lakeland to the voices urging the Florida Supreme Court to resolve the appeal on the constitutionality of voter-imposed term limits on county commissioners contained in county charters. The Jan. 23 order came in response to an appeal in a Sarasota County case involving an attempt to overturn an injunction that held Sarasota County’s term limits provision is unconstitutional.. The recurring argument, which echoes the position of the… Read More »

Johnson wants garbage audit discussion

Wednesday, at 3:00 by

County Commission Chairman Sam Johnson is poised to initiate a discussion with his colleagues about hiring an independent auditor to look into alleged irregularities in garbage billing. The item is under Johnson’s portion of  next Tuesday’s County Commission agenda. County Manager Jim Freeman is scheduled to brief commissioners  during Friday’s agenda study session. Johnson said he put the item on the agenda so that the commission as a whole can discuss it, adding he also did it to assure the… Read More »

Winter Haven’s March to SR 60 Continues

Tuesday, at 2:55 by

If you’ve been wondering what that long sandy corridor is on the north side of State Road  60 east of the Alturas cutoff, welcome to Winter Haven. The cleared corridor is the early stages of the Pollard Road extension that will be the path trucks coming and going from the new CSX terminal and any other industrial development that spins off from it will be taking. Funding for the $9 million project was part of the deal that was worked… Read More »

Term Limits Court Decision Still Pending

Monday, at 5:06 by

Candidates or prospective candidates are still waiting to see what the Florida Supreme Court decides on the constitutionality of voter-imposed term limits on county commissioners. The latest wrinkle was the court’s denial of a motion by  the Florida Association of  Counties to submit a amicus curiae brief. FAC spokeswoman Cragin Mosteller told me the association’s only interest is in getting as prompt a decision as possible to remove any uncertainty candidates might have in filing for office. FAC does not… Read More »

Are STEM Skills Really Lacking?

Friday, at 9:07 by

When you listen to Polk politicians and economic development staffers talk about job creation, the recurring theme is about attracting  high-tech, better paying jobs to Polk County and having a better skilled work force. But some of that talk may be based on a widely accepted, but false assumption, according to an article titled “What Scientist Shortage?” in the current issue of Columbia Journalism Review. The assumption is that Americans don’t have the science skills to compete in the global… Read More »