Polk County, along with Polk Vision, are leading the 2020 Census efforts in Polk County through the Polk Counts initiative.  Polk County is holding a meeting to provide an overview of the County’s 2020 Census outreach efforts this Friday, November 22, 2019 from 9 am to noon in Bartow at the UF/IFAS Extension Office in Bartow at 1702 S. Holland Pkwy, Bartow, FL  33830.

Governor Scott announced $1.5 million in Competitive Florida Partnership and Community Planning Technical Assistance grants for small and rural communities across Florida. The grants administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) will assist small and rural communities in planning and economic development so these communities can create jobs. Since December 2010, every county in Florida has experienced a drop in its unemployment rate. During the same time, Florida has created nearly 1.6 million private-sector jobs. The funding announced today is in addition to the more than $35 million in funding awarded to small and rural communities through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, the Rural Infrastructure Fund and the Community Development Block Grant this year.

Competitive Florida Partnership grants have been awarded to 11 communities statewide, including Highlands County and Polk City. The grant program provides for technical assistance, additional resources and staff support to help identify local assets and create asset-based economic development strategies for small and rural communities. For more details on the Competitive Florida Partnership Grant and all the awardees, click here.

The Community Planning Technical Assistance grants have been awarded to 30 communities and four regional planning councils statewide, including Frostproof, Highlands County, Lake Alfred, Wauchula, Winter Haven, and the Central Florida Regional Planning Council. These grants assist communities in creating economic development strategies, addressing critical local planning issues and promoting innovative planning solutions to local challenges. For more details on the Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant Program and all the awardees, click here.

Governor Scott said, “Providing resources to support job creation in our rural communities plays a vital role in our state’s continued growth. I’m proud to announce this $1.5 million will be used to benefit Floridians who want a great job. We remain committed to helping Florida families thrive and we will continue to work to make the Sunshine State number one in the nation for jobs.”

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of DEO, said, “These grants are important economic development tools used to benefit Florida’s small and rural communities, allowing them to develop economic strategies to attract businesses and create jobs. We are proud to partner with these communities to help them accomplish their economic goals.”

Aviation and aerospace industry development in Polk and Highlands counties recently received a boost when the Central Florida Regional Planning Council (CFRPC) was awarded a $300,000 U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Disaster Supplemental Grant.

The impact from Hurricane Irma on Polk and Highlands counties added to challenges faced due to the region’s lack of economic diversification and low wages and highlighted the need to bring in more resilient and higher wage jobs. “Aviation was identified as an emerging industry in the most recent five-year regional economic development plan for Highlands and Polk County and so this grant opportunity from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) is coming to us at the perfect time. It will allow us to foster the growth of the aviation industry, diversifying the economy and providing stable long-term job growth” stated Executive Director of the CFRPC, Pat Steed.

Highlands County Development Services Director, Benjamin Dunn stated, “This grant is an excellent opportunity to continue Highlands County’s efforts to diversify our economy and enhance job possibilities in the aviation sector. This work will support other grants we are developing in partnership with the CFRPC which will provide strategic economic vision as we look to the future.”

The CFRPC will use the grant funds to develop an Aviation Action Plan that will support the growth of the aviation industry in Polk and Highlands counties through the identification of the region’s assets and opportunities and build on those assets while creating a collaborative network to support the growth of the aviation industry. Guiding the plan will be an Aviation Task Force, including local and regional partners in aviation, economic development, and education.

President of the Winter Haven Economic Development Council, Bruce Lyon, sees great potential in focusing on the emerging aviation and aerospace industries in Polk and Highlands communities. “With the right strategic planning and cooperative relationships between airports, economic development organizations, and private industry, we look forward to a plan that will facilitate economic resiliency in the region and provide more stable, high wage jobs.”

For more information, contact the Central Florida Regional Planning Council at 863-534-7130

Former City of Bartow Commissioner Pat Huff was honored for his more than 18 years of service and significant contributions to the Central Florida Regional Planning Council (CFRPC) on June 13, 2018, in Lake Wales at Warner University at the June Council Meeting.

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Commissioner Huff began his tenure in 2000 and served as Chairman of the Council from 2011 through 2014. During that time the CFRPC celebrated their 40th anniversary. He served on subcommittees including the Finance Committee, the Executive Director Search Committee in 2005 (Chairman), the Nomination Committee, and the Executive Committee. For nine years Commissioner Huff represented the Central Florida region as a member of the statewide Florida Regional Councils Association (FRCA) Policy Board and was President of the organization in 2014-2015.

“Commissioner Pat Huff has been a true ambassador for the services and programs of the CFRPC that promote regional collaboration in the cities and counties of Polk, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, and Okeechobee” stated CFRPC Executive Director Patricia Steed. “His leadership of the CFRPC, and statewide through FRCA, has been invaluable. He will be missed by all.”

Commissioner Huff was presented with a plaque on behalf of the Council at his farewell Commission meeting in Bartow on May 7, 2018, and a framed picture signed by Council member and staff.

Pat Huff thanked the Council members and stated, “It’s been a pleasure and an honor to serve on the Central Florida Regional Planning Council for all these years. Very shortly after I was elected to the Bartow City Commission I learned about the Regional Planning Council and it made a lot of sense to me to look at the region as a whole and I’ve been here since.” He shared he would miss his fellow Council Members and the staff, however he looks forward to the opportunity to travel with his wife.

As our region works to address the immediate needs of the community after Hurricane Irma, we have compiled a list of resources that may be helpful.

• We will continue to update and add to this list as resources become available.
• If you would like us to add additional resources, please email Marybeth Soderstrom.
• Please feel free to share on your website and social media accounts.

View the Resource List