What’s on the Polk BOCC Agenda for Tuesday, July 7
The Polk County Board of County Commissioners will meet Tuesday, July 7 at 9 a.m. at the County Administration Building, 330 W. Church Street in Bartow. Chair Martha Santiago will preside, with an invocation from Polk County Fire Rescue Chaplain Murphy Hanley.
Chair Martha Santiago will preside, with an invocation from Polk County Fire Rescue Chaplain Murphy Hanley.
The July 7 agenda spans more than 60 items across construction contracts, public safety, appointments, land use, and public hearings. Multi-year contracts total more than $12 million, and a Kathleen Road intersection redesign is among the roads and drainage items on the agenda. The Polk County Commission July 7 agenda represents one of the last regular meetings before the board’s August recess and the run-up to the fall budget cycle.
The largest fiscal items include a $6.4 million construction contract with Strickland Construction for a new Eagle Lake Roads and Drainage Maintenance Facility, a $5.1 million six-year renewal with Motorola Solutions for public safety radio and communications equipment, and a $1.3 million estimated annual agreement with the Veransa Group for yard waste processing at the North Central Landfill. Commissioners will also consider a $273,000 design contract with Jacobs Engineering for the Kathleen Road at West Campbell Road intersection.
Four separate public hearings will consider new speed humps in four neighborhoods across the county. Proposals include one speed hump on Bay Boulevard North near Lake Wales, three on Eastside Drive South near Lakeland, five on Pryor Road near Haines City, and three on Sixth Street East in Wahneta near Winter Haven. The combined estimated cost is $60,000.
Five appointments to the county Planning Commission are also up for confirmation. The Planning Commission hears every major land use case before it reaches the BOCC. Commissioner Becky Troutman is reappointing Mike Hickman and adding Tracy Mouncey as an alternate. Commissioner Rick Wilson is appointing Kevin Updike. Commissioner Bill Braswell is appointing Chad Barron as an alternate. Commissioner Michael Scott is appointing Shane Bevilacqua. Chair Santiago has no District 4 appointment on this agenda.
Three land use text amendments are on the agenda under Expedited Hearings. The first, a Polk City Special Protection Area amendment inside the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern, is up for an adoption hearing. Two others, one for a Comprehensive Plan map change on Shimmering Drive from Residential Low to Community Activity Center-X, and one on the GrayLineX site limiting the intensity of proposed Industrial activity, are first readings.
Other notable items include the formal repeal of Fire Department Burn Ban 26-01, which was practically lifted on June 17 after recent rains, and the confirmation of Allison Victoria “Tori” Bateman as Director of the Human Resources Division. Tuesday’s consent agenda also schedules future public hearings for July 21 on three land use changes, including comp plan amendments on Shimmering Drive and GrayLineX and a density change on 17.1 acres at Goldenrod Lane.
The Polk BOCC accepts public comments in two segments at every regular meeting. Comments on items already listed on the day’s agenda are heard at the start of the meeting. General public comments, on any topic not tied to items on the current agenda, are heard at the end. Speakers receive three minutes each. Anyone wishing to speak signs in at the City Clerk’s table upon arrival and states their name and street address at the podium for the record. Written comments may also be submitted in advance by email to any commissioner.
The meeting is livestreamed on Polk County TV at polk-county.tv and airs on Spectrum channel 643. An archived recording is posted at the same site after the meeting.
The Citrus Tea reports on Polk County government to inform readers, not to tell them what to think. Our coverage provides the factual context residents need to form their own conclusions and decide for themselves how to act.
Polk County Board of County Commissioners, Meeting Agenda for Tuesday, July 7, 2026, polkcountyfl.legistar.com; Polk County Fire Department, Repeal of Burn Ban 26-01, June 17, 2026
