From the City Manager.....
The summer has come to an end for Polk County Schools. As our Haines City students, educators, paraprofessionals, staff and administrators return to the classroom, we wish them much success. As you travel throughout the City, please make sure you adhere to the school zone speed limit and after school activities. I also encourage you to support our local schools as volunteers, attending special events, supporting our athletic programs and encouraging students during this year. The City of Haines City elected officials and staff believe our community thrives when our schools are successful. HCForward!
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Deric C. Feacher
City Manager
863-421-3600
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Jeffrey Brown
Deputy City Manager
863-421-3600
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Stephanie Snively
Communications and Marketing Manager
863-421-9951
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Margie Wells
Senior Executive Assistant
863-421-5560
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Polk State College Expands Services in Northeast Polk County
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Contact: Madison Fantozzi
863.298.6872/954.594.9808
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Polk State College expands services in
Northeast Polk at Ridge Community High School
Winter Haven, August 8, 2018
— Polk State College is expanding its services in Northeast Polk County at Ridge Community High School, where the College will increase its afternoon, evening, and weekend courses for adults seeking Associate in Arts degrees.
While Polk State partners with Polk County Public Schools to provide on-site dual enrollment at most high schools, the partnership with the Northeast-area school goes a step further to offer college courses for non-dual enrolled students.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) recently approved the College’s request to offer the Associate in Arts degree program at Ridge Community High, where Polk State will expand its course offerings to make higher education more accessible to residents in the fastest growing region of the county.
“Paired with our fully online degree programs, more residents of Northeast Polk have the opportunity to earn their degrees without ever leaving their community,” Polk State President Angela Garcia Falconetti said. “Providing opportunities such as this is at the core of Polk State’s mission to provide access to affordable, quality higher education to
all
residents of Polk County.”
In fall 2018, the site will offer nine classes in the afternoons and evenings, including literature, composition, math, psychology, and world religions courses. College administrators are working to determine additional courses to offer in spring 2019 and future semesters based on the needs of students.
Fall 2018 classes start August 20, and open enrollment is currently underway. Polk State classes at Ridge Community High, which are 12-week courses, begin September 17. Prospective students may submit an online application to Polk State on www.polk.edu. Currently enrolled students may register through their PASSPORT accounts.
Polk State has offered courses at Ridge Community High since 2008, but the recent SACSCOC approval will allow the College to increase its services at the school.
“Polk County Public Schools is thrilled about the opportunity for students to earn their Associate in Arts degrees at Ridge Community High School,” Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd said. “As a school district, we are making great academic strides, and our graduation rate is now at a 10-year high. We are proud to be partnering with Polk State to offer our students a convenient option for continuing their education after they graduate from us. Education changes not only the individual student’s life, but our entire community. As a school district, we’re committed to ensuring academic opportunity and supporting academic achievement, and this partnership with Polk State is a prime example.”
From fall 2017 through spring 2018, the site served more than 300 Polk State students – nearly one-third who were not dual-enrolled high school students. Sixty-one percent of those who were not dual enrolled attended part time, and 63 percent were 21 or older, illustrating the College’s ability to serve nontraditional students who are balancing school with other responsibilities, such as jobs and raising families.
With Davenport and nearby Polk City being named two of the five fastest growing cities in Florida by the U.S. Census Bureau, Polk State’s presence in the Northeast part of the county is more important than ever. Ridge Community High sits between Davenport and Haines City, Polk County’s third largest city.
“As Northeast Polk County continues to grow, access to higher education is crucial to ensure the best quality of life for our residents,” said Deric C. Feacher, City Manager of Haines City. “Haines City is moving forward at a rapid pace, and we are thrilled to have Polk State growing alongside the Northeast community.”
Cyndi Jantomaso, President and CEO of the Haines City Economic Development Council, explained that access to education has a positive effect on the growth of a region.
“The education available to build a strong workforce is one of the top business incentives we as economic developers can offer. Having a strong workforce is a major tool in the recruitment of companies to our area,” Jantomaso said. “Polk State’s investment and expansion in Northeast Polk County will contribute greatly to educating and training our workforce, which will in turn bring more businesses and better jobs to our area, thereby promoting higher per-capita earnings for our residents.”
On average, Polk State’s graduates earn wages that are 2.3 times higher than the average entry-level wage for Polk County, and 70 percent stay in right here Polk County.
“Our students go on to become highly-skilled members of our local workforce and the next leaders of our community,” Falconetti explained. “Polk State’s goal is to put college degrees in reach for everyone by bringing higher education closer to home for residents.”
“We are grateful to Ridge Community High School for its strong partnership and we are proud to serve the Northeast Polk community,” she added. “Together,
We are Polk
!”
About Polk State College
Located in Winter Haven, Florida, and established in 1964, Polk State College is a multi-campus institution serving more than 16,000 students with Bachelor of Applied Science, Bachelor of Science, Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees, as well as a wide range of certificate and workforce training options.
The College also operates three charter high schools. Polk State’s advantages include small class sizes; hands-on learning; dedicated faculty; day and night classes; online options; affordable tuition; excellent financial aid; and a diverse community and vibrant student life, including fine arts opportunities, clubs, and intercollegiate athletics.
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Linda Bourgeois
City Clerk
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Emerging Youth Advisory Council - Community
We invite you to attend the City of Haines City Emerging Youth Advisory Council’s
Community Service Project.
Who: City of Haines City Emerging Youth Advisory Council
What: Community Service Project
When: Saturday, October 27, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Where: Haines City Boys and Girls Club – Revitalization Project
704 Avenue C; Haines City, FL 33844
Why: To reach out & give back to the community in which we live, play and work.
Contact: City Clerk’s Office (863) 421-9921 Ext. 5518
“
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together us progress;
working together is success.”
– Edward Everett Hale
Volunteers are needed for painting and clean-up. Donations are accepted.
Lunch will be served.
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Cemetery Clean-Up Notice
Please review the Public Notice about Haines City Cemeteries provided in English and in Español in the attached documents below.
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Community Information and Events
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Stay Informed On What's Going on
in the Business Community
The Haines City Area Chamber of Commerce is an excellent way to promote your business and showcase your services. Click on the link below to keep up-to-date on all the wonderful things your Chamber is doing to promote businesses in and around Haines City and contact them to become a member!
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Haines City Area Chamber of Commerce Wants Your Shoes!!
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Would you ever think that your old shoes could replace old plumbing or paint a reception area? Well they can and here’s how. The Haines City Chamber is participating in a fundraiser where there is nothing to buy or sell, all we need is your support and your old shoes. We are looking for community members to help support us as we raise money to make much needed building repairs, by agreeing to collect 25 pairs of gently worn, used and new shoes between July 9 and September 10. Here’s how you do it:
Start in your family’s closets and gather pairs of shoes that you’ve out grown, are out of style, or out of season. If you have 25 pairs, great, if not please ask your neighbors and/or co-workers to do the same. These shoes will help support our program as well as individuals in developing nations like Ghana, Haiti and Bolivia. Connect with the Haines City Chamber to get them picked up or you can drop them off at these locations:
Haines City Area Chamber of Commerce
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35610 HWY 27, Haines City; Mon.-Thurs. 9 - 4; Fri. 10-3
Lamb of God Lutheran Church
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901 Scenic Highway, Haines City; Mon - Thurs 8 -3; Sun 8 - 12
CenterState Bank
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36099 US Highway 27, Haines City; Mon - Thurs 9 - 4
Fibrofit-
42733 Hwy 27, Suite 201, Davenport; Mon, Tues, Fri 8 - 5
EPCAR
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700 Avenue B SW, Winter Haven, Mon - Fri, 8 - 5
Heart of Florida Chiropractic
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350 S 10th St., Haines City; Mon, Weds, Thurs, Fri 9 - 12:30
Teresa Connell State Farm Insurance
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419 US Hwy 17-92 W, Mon-Fri 8:30 - 5
Amanda's Academy of Dance-
1 Park Place, Haines City, Tues, Weds, Thurs. 3 - 8 p.m.
Spring of Blessing Church
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704 McLeod Ave., Haines City, Tues - Fri 9 - 3; Sun. 9 - 2
Mid-Florida Credit Union
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1006 Old Polk City Road, Haines City, Mon - Fri, 12 - 5
Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center
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40100 U.S. Hwy. 27, Davenport, Mon - Fri, 8 - 6
Can we count on you?
Call the Haines CityChamber office for more details (863-422-3751)
PS: if you can’t collect 25, then try for 15, 10, or 5.
Remember, every pair that you collect helps.
Thank you for helping us meet our goals!
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Attention Business Owners and Developers
Become a Part of Haines City!
The Haines City Economic Development Council is here to assist you with any of your business and development needs. Contact Cyndi Jantomaso, President, to set-up an appointment to review any of your upcoming projects or business transactions/acquisitions. Click on the link below for additional information.
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Public Education Course: About Boating Safely
If you are interested in an exciting, in-depth boating safety course, check out the in classroom (seminar) version of our popular online boating course.
This beginner boating class will give you the knowledge needed to obtain a boat license or safety certification in many states. Many boat insurance companies will offer discounts on boating insurance to boaters who successfully complete
About Boating Safely
.
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Presented by Flotilla 070-07-07
Polk County FL
Course:
About Boating Safely
Start Date:
Sat .August 25, 2018
Hours:
8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Duration:
8 Hours
Location:
Polk County Sheriff Command Center. 3635 Ave G NW. Winter Haven, Florida 33880
Contact:
Gil Thomas gthomas901@msn.com
(863) 687-9639
Course Cost:
Early Paid Registration $30.00 per person, registration at the door $35.00.
Comments:
Bring Pencils & Bag Lunch (30 min lunch) Classroom cool, bring sweater.
Application:
See Download Below**
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TOPICS INCLUDE:
Introduction to Boating
- Types of power boats; sailboats; outboards; paddle boats; houseboats; different uses of boats; various power boating engines; jet drives; family boating basics.
Boating Law
- Boat registration; boating regulation; hull identification number; required boat safety equipment; operating safely and reporting accidents; protecting the marine environment; Federal boat law; state boating laws; personal watercraft requirements.
Boat Safety Equipment
- Personal flotation devices ("life jackets"); fire extinguishers; sound-producing devices; visual-distress signals; dock lines and rope; first aid kit; anchors and anchor lines; other boating safety equipment. About Boating Safely
Safe Boating
- Bow riding; alcohol and drug abuse; entering, loading, and trimming a boat; fueling portable and permanent tanks; steering with a tiller and a wheel; docking, undocking and mooring; knots; filing a float plan; checking equipment, fuel, weather and tides; using charts; choosing and using an anchor; safe PWC handling; general water safety.
Navigation
- The U.S. Aids to Navigation system; types of buoys and beacons; navigation rules (sometimes referred to as right-of-way rules); avoiding collisions; sound signals; PWC "tunnel vision."
Boating Problems
- Hypothermia; boating accidents and rescues; man overboard recovery; capsizing; running aground; river hazards; strainers: emergency radio calls; engine problems; equipment failures; carbon monoxide (CO); other boating and PWC problems.
Trailering, Storing and Protecting Your Boat
- Types of trailers; trailer brakes, lights, hitches, tires, and bearings; loading, balancing, and towing a trailer; towing (and backing) a trailer; boat launching and retrieving; boat storage and theft protection; launching, retrieving and storing a PWC.
Hunting and Fishing, Water-skiing and River Boating
- Carrying hunting gear and weapons in a boat; fishing from a boat; water-skiing safety guidelines and hand signals; water-skiing with a PWC; navigating rivers, and other boating tips.
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Special Events, Athletics, Library, Recreation, Parks
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Terrell Griffin
Parks & Recreation Director
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Click on this link to see the
Aquatics Information:
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Click on this link to see the
Parks & Recreation Athletics Information:
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Recreation, Seniors, Wellness
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Click on this link (and scroll down to "City Calendar) to review the
entire calendar of events for Recreation, Wellness and Senior Events:
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Mark Your Calendars.....
The City of Haines City presents its first ever
“Under the Stars” concert series. C’Nergy Entertainment closed out our 4th of July Thunder on the Ridge Celebration and is slated to kick-off the series Friday, September 28, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the band shell in Lake Eva Park. C’Nergy, which features a six piece band will deliver an extraordinary show, taking your experience to the next level with a crowd-pleasing, dynamic performance. The event is free and open to the public. Please stay tuned for additional dates and performances. For more information, please contact Parks and Recreation at 863-421-3700.
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Click on this link (and scroll down to "City Calendar) to review Other Upcoming
Special Events:
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Past Events
Unity in the Community Back-To-School Bash
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Unity in the Community of N.E. Polk County recently held their Back-To-School Bash at Lake Eva Community Center. There was free face-painting, haircuts, food, and backpacks filled with school supplies. There was also a special guest appearance by Smart Mouth's Jason Alexander. Many thanks to all the community sponsors and volunteers who made this event a success!
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Haines City Public Library
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In addition to the multitude of books the Haines City Public Library provides, it also offers age-specific opportunities of discovery and fun with programs like the Needlework Group, Scrabble Club, Story Times, Teen Programs, and movies every month in English and Español. Come find your heartbeat at the Haines City Public Library!
Operating Hours
Monday:
10:00 AM-7:00 PM Tuesday: 10:00 AM-8:00 PM
Wednesday:
10:00 AM-6:00 PM Thursday: 10:00 AM-6:00 PM
Friday:
10:00 AM-5:00 PM Saturday: 10:00 AM-3:00 PM
Sunday:
CLOSED
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Internet Information and Citizen Assistance
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Lynda.com a leading online learning platform with over 7,000 courses that can assist anyone with learning the following: business, software, technology, and creative skills to achieve personal and professional through video-based, self-paced courses available 24/7.
Through individual, corporate, academic and government subscriptions, members have access to the Lynda.com video library of engaging, top-quality courses taught by recognized industry experts.
For 20 years, Lynda.com has helped students, leaders, IT and design pros, project managers—anyone in any role—develop software, creative, and business skills. Now part of Linkedin, Lynda.com serves more than 10,000 organizations. With tutorials in five languages, Lynda.com is a global platform for success. Access to
Lynda.com
is free with a Haines City Public Library card.
Ancestry.com® is a website that brings together science and self-discovery to help anyone find their story.
Bringing together science and self-discovery,
Ancestry.com
helps everyone, everywhere discover the story of what led to them. Our sophisticated engineering and technology harnesses family history and consumer genomics, combining billions of rich historical records, millions of family trees, and samples more than 7 million people in the AncestryDNA database to provide people with deeply meaningful insights about who they are and where they come from.
Access to Ancestry.com is available to our patrons through the computers at the Haines City Public Library.
ProQuest® African American Heritage is a groundbreaking digital resource exclusively devoted to African American family history research.
ProQuest
is committed to empowering researchers and librarians around the world. Its innovative information content and technologies increase the productivity of students, scholars, professionals and the libraries that serve them. Through partnerships with content holders, ProQuest preserves rich, vast and varied information – whether historical archives or today’s scientific breakthroughs – and packages it with digital technologies that enhance its discovery, sharing and management. For academic, corporate, government, school and public libraries, as well as professional researchers, ProQuest provides services that enable strategic acquisition, management and discovery of information collections.
ProQuest is available to our patrons through the computers at the Haines City Public Library.
The
Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP)
assists low-income households, with at least one person age 60 and older, when the households are experiencing a home energy emergency.
A home energy emergency may result from a delinquent utility bill, lack of fuel or wood, or the receipt of a shut off notice. Payments are for home heating or cooling and other emergency energy-related costs during the heating (October-March) and cooling (April-September) seasons. Eligible households may be provided one benefit per season, up to $600 per season. Payments are made directly to the vendor or by a two-party check to the vendor and client for electricity, natural gas, propane, fuel oil, kerosene, or wood.
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Stay Connected With All Our Upcoming Library Events!
Want to know what is going on at the Haines City Public Library? Check out our
Facebook page and get the scoop. You can also see what's going on at the Library by viewing our calendar for adults and children!
Click on this link to review the
entire calendar of events for the Library:
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Richard Greenwood
Development Services Director
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Proposed Zocalo Fish Market
On Wednesday, August 1, the City’s Technical Review Board met to review the proposed Zocalo Fish Market. This project will be located at 308 US 17/92, which is at the northwest corner of Stuart Avenue and US 17/92. The existing 2,400 square foot (SF) retail building will be renovated and expanded to contain a total of 5,000 SF, which will contain the Fish Market. An additional 3,000 SF (containing 3 1,000 SF suites) is proposed for future expansion. This project is located in the Core Improvement Area, which will allow the development to be eligible for certain types of impact fee credits. The project is also located in our Community Redevelopment Area, and is a great example of an innovative reuse to an existing structure in our City. Welcome Zocalo Fish Market to Haines City!
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The CRA’s Tactical Redevelopment Program, with the assistance of Haines City Parks and Recreation, installed two benches for transit riders in downtown Haines City today. The downtown bus stop, located at City Hall, is used by residents frequenting City Hall, the Library, or downtown businesses. The benches are the beginning of the Tactical Redevelopment Program’s initiative to effectively utilize existing resources to improve services and quality of life for Haines City residents.
**Parks and Recreation Staff Installing Benches: Jerry Willis and David Williams**
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Timothy Mossgrove
Fire Chief
tmossgrove@hainescity.com
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Auburn Taylor
Human Resources Director
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Would you like to be part of the City of Haines City Team? Apply today! All interested applicants are required to submit an employment application, unless otherwise instructed on the City's website position announcement page.
Employment Applications and copies of complete position announcements can be accessed on the City of Haines City's website at
www.hainescity.com
.
Positions are considered "Open Until Filled," unless otherwise denoted. Corresponding pay grade ranges are included to represent earning potential and shall not be an assumption of potential starting wage, which will most likely be at the minimum rate of pay. If a conditional offer of employment is made, please note everything included during the application process will be verified.
Click
here
to view the open job listings and find out how you can be part of the City of Haines City Team!
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Information Technology Department
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New City of Haines City Website
Mobile
App
The Haines City Technology Management Department would like to inform the citizens that our website,
www.hainescity.com
, is now available as a Mobile App. This free app is available for both Android and Apple iOS devices. Many features are available in the mobile app. You can find information about our Cemeteries, Report an Issue with the City of Haines City, view the Staff Directory, and much more!
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To install on an Android device, search “Haines City FL” in the Google Play store. Tap the green Install button and the app will begin downloading to your device.
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For Apple iOS devices, open the App Store and search “CivicMobile”. Tap the blue Get button to allow the app to install on your device. Open the CivicMobile app on your Home screen. When the app fully opens, search
Haines
and tap “Haines City, FL” when it appears. Alternatively tap the Find Your Location button to find our Haines City, FL app. Tap the white box with the pointed arrow to continue to the app services.
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You can choose to sign up and receive app notifications by tapping
Sign Up
at first launch. Enter your details into the New Account fields. First Name, Last Name, and an Email address is required. Read the privacy policy and scroll down and tap the check box next to “I agree to the policies;” indicating you have read the policy. Also, tap the box next to “I’m not a robot” and complete the reCaptcha verification. Tap the green Create Profile button to finish creating your profile. You will receive a validation email to create a password for your account.
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The Alert Center shows all current alerts posted by city staff. Current alert categories include Road Closures, Utility Outages, and Weather Alerts. Tapping [Done] at the bottom returns you to the main screen.
Calendar allows you to see all of our upcoming events by date. Tap a date on the calendar to view all events that occur on that specific date. Events sort by department names.
The Cemetery button opens the Cemetery Information page on our website. You will find pricing for both Forest Hill and Oakland Cemetery, along with access to our cemetery databases.
The Contractor Portal opens the iWorq website portal for searching open permits with the City of Haines City.
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The Employment icon takes you to our job listing website. From there you can view open positions and apply for a job online.
If you have a particular question about the city, you may find the answer in the FAQs section.
News Flash articles inform you of what is happening in and around our city.
If you created an account for the website, you can choose which mobile alerts you receive in the Notify Me section of the app.
The Public Meetings portal allows you to listen to past meetings and listen to live commission meetings. Tapping this icon opens your device’s web browser and displays the meeting portal page. When a meeting is live, tap the green “Listen Live” link on the page.
Recreation Registration opens the Community Pass website where you register for upcoming events held at the Community Center or around Haines City.
Report an Issue is a new service our app offers. You can contact the city when finding issues such as pot holes, graffiti, a broken light, or other concerns. You can include a photo of the incident by tapping the Take Photo button or Choose Existing Photo. Your device’s GPS location sets the location of the incident. You can also set a specific pin on the included map, or type in the address. A name and email address are required when submitting an issue. Someone from the city will contact you within a reasonable amount of time after submitting your issue.
Use the search feature within the app to find more information regarding a topic. For example, you may want to find when a facility is open. Searching “hours” provides results related to your search term.
Lastly, you can also pay your utility bill using our mobile app. Contact our Utility Billing department at 863-421-3600 and choose option 1 to speak to a customer service representative about setting up online access.
If you have any questions regarding the Mobile App, please contact the city at 863-421-3600.
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James Elensky
Chief of Police
jelensky@hainescity.com
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Polk County School Board Approves New School Safety Guardian Program
Board members approved a new “School Safety Guardian” job description allowing Polk County Public Schools to fulfill a state mandate that an armed law enforcement officer or guardian be placed in each school.
The School Safety Guardian Program, developed in collaboration with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, is a feasible solution to improve campus security and meet the requirements and deadlines set by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act.
Superintendent Jacqueline M. Byrd remains steadfast that arming teachers or other existing school-based personnel is not the answer. Their attention must be on educating and serving students.
“Protecting our community and schools is of the utmost importance to both Sheriff Grady Judd and myself,” Byrd said. “We are committed to ensuring the safety of our students and staff, and greatly value this partnership with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.”
School Safety Guardians are armed, uniformed district employees. These individuals are responsible for working with the district’s Safe Schools division to provide security to our campuses, conduct necessary drills, oversee crime prevention initiatives and programs with students, conduct surveillance and other security-related tasks. They are not intended to work with student discipline nor have any law enforcement authority.
Elementary schools have a School Safety Guardian. Middle and high schools will continue to have a school resource officer from a local law enforcement agency.
This employee is certified through the Polk County Sheriff’s Office guardian program, which allows School Safety Guardians to carry a firearm on campuses. They have no authority to arrest and are not considered law enforcement.
Each of these designated individuals went through a background check, drug test, psychological exam and 144 hours of specialized training.
The starting salary for the School Safety Guardian position is $30,000 a year plus benefits. New allocations of state Safe Schools funding will cover most of the employment costs.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office will cover the costs of guardian training, supplies and equipment.
“This is a great program and a good way to add another layer of safety and security on school campuses,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “It is a model for other schools—it is affordable, reasonable, and our children will be safer as a result. Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd and her staff have done an outstanding job crafting the School Safety Guardian program, and we value our continuing partnership to keep our kids, teachers, and staff safe.”
In addition to the School Safety Guardian Program, HCPD will perform enforcement in all school zones while providing additional security measures to the schools.
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Haines City Police Department
Officers James Garrison and Tishelle Payne attended the
Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center
Back-to-School Health Fair this past weekend. They handed out school supplies and information on how to keep children in our communities safe. Also, K-9 handler Officer David Heptinstall and Fenix put on an exciting demonstration for attendees and helped make the event a success!
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Unity in the Community Back-To-School Bash
This event was held August 11th at Lake Eva Event Center and featured free backpacks, free haircuts, free hair braiding, free food and free face painting! It also featured a guest appearance by Smart Mouth's Jason Alexander. Below are several pictures of the preparation for this great event sponsored by the City of Haines City and Unity in the Community Central Florida, as well as pictures the day of the event.
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Adriana Trujillo-Villa
Interim Public Works Director
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Haines City Watershed Management Plan Update
The City of Haines City and Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) are in the process of updating the Haines City Watershed Management Plan. The updated plan will evaluate the current conditions of the watershed related to flood risk, water quality, and environmental resources and will guide the City in achieving improvements where needed.
What is a watershed?
A watershed is where you live, work, and play. More specifically, a
watershed
is an area of land that water flows across to drain into a body of water, such as a stream, river, lake or coast.
Am I located in the Haines City Watershed?
The Haines City watershed includes the City of Haines City and nearby areas that drain to the City (See Figure below). The general watershed area is bounded by Edwards Road to the south, the City of Davenport to the north, Lake Hamilton and Lake Haines on the western side, diffuse wetlands north of Lake Lowery on the northern boundary and Lake Marion on the eastern side.
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc. was contracted by SWFWMD to complete the WMP updated. The preliminary Watershed Evaluation is complete and under review, and consists of the following tasks:
·
Project Plan Development
·
Data Collection and Initial Evaluation of Watershed Data
·
Public Notification of Watershed Study
·
Hydrologic and Hydraulic Feature Database Development
·
Peer Review of Watershed Evaluation Deliverables
·
Public Meeting
·
Final Approved Watershed Evaluation Deliverables
Results of the watershed evaluation phase was presented at a public meeting held June 28th. Future phases of the study will include updates to the hydrologic and hydraulic model and floodplain, water quality assessments, and identification of projects to improve flooding and water quality issues identified during the study.
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Public Works Education Center
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Bulrush
Bulrush is a tall bush like water plant of the sedge family. It is known by the common name of Bulrush.
The leaves are mostly basal and have wide sheaths around the stems. The have brown nut like seed clusters on the top of the plant. They are sometimes sold as ornamental plants for a water garden.
They add great beauty to our lakes and ponds however, they can become a big problem if not maintained and kept under control. They can take over and shut down flowing water ways and crowd out other beneficial vegetation.
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Right-of-Way Permits and Road Closures Permits
Right-of Way Permits
The application can be found on the Haines City’s Website. Once the application is completed, the approval is required to be obtained through the Public Works Department.
Road Closures Permits
Effective now, Road Closures Permits will need to be obtained through the Public Works Department. Once the application is completed, approval will be received from the Public Works Department.
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Tracy Mercer
Utilities Director
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Mark Your Calendar for 2018 Lunch and Learn Classes!
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The Utilities Department will host Lunch and Learn classes instructed by the University of Florida from 12:00-1:00 PM at the Haines City Library the following dates:
August 28, 2018
– Fertilizing Appropriately
October 16, 2018
– Pollinators, Not Just the Birds and the Bees
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Lawn Watering Days and Times
The District's year-round water conservation measures went into effect August 2, 2017. Lawn watering is limited to no more than twice per week.
Lawn watering days and times are as follows:
- Even addresses may water Thursdays and/or Sundays before 10:00 AM or after 4:00 PM
- Odd addresses may water Wednesdays and/or Saturdays before 10:00 AM or after 4:00 PM
- Locations without a discernible address, such as right-of-ways and common areas inside a subdivision, may water Tuesdays and/or Fridays before 10:00 AM or after 4:00 PM
- Hand watering and micro-irrigation of plants (other than lawns) can be done on any day and any time
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WOW! (Watched Outstanding Work!)
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The City of Haines City would like to thank all of our excellent, dedicated employees and volunteers who help make the City a great place to work, live and play. We would not be able to serve our community well without the dedicated, excellent employees and volunteers! Have you "Watched Outstanding Work" within the City lately? Let us know at wow@hainescity.com.
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Haines City Commission
Front row (left to right): Mayor Morris West, Commissioner Roy Tyler
Back row (left to right): Vice-Mayor Don Mason, Commissioner Anne Huffman and Commissioner Horace West
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City Commission Meetings
Are held every first and third Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at City Hall, 620 E. Main Street.
For questions or more information, please call the City Clerk at (863) 421-9921.
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Mark Your Calendars for the following City Commission Meetings
Tuesday, August 14 (note different day/date)
- 7:00 PM
Thursday, September 6, 2018 - 7:00 PM
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City of Haines City| 863-421-3600 | www.HainesCity.com
STAY CONNECTED
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