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I would like to know where the Sheriff's Office is finding the $ to build the "Taj Mahal" on 540. That place is ridiculous overkill. Although it is not directly a BoCC division, it is a constitutional member, and a good amount of that money had to be approved through the BoCC.
The new Sheriff’s Operations Center off SR 540 was funded by a bond issued in 2005. During that time period, the State of Florida was adding judges almost every fiscal year. With each new judge, there are additional staffing requirements (judicial assistant, baliff, prosecutor, public defender) and facility needs (judge’s chamber, courtroom, hearing room, jury room). To avoid a major capital expense in previous years, the County took actions such as building out the courthouse basement, the 10th floor storage space, and the balconies to provide additional office space. However, by 2005, there were no remaining options to expand office space in the County Courthouse. The County is required, by Florida Statutes (law), to provide and maintain adequate Court facilities.
Since downtown Bartow’s infrastructure would not accommodate another large government facility, the Sheriff agreed to vacate their current administration building in Bartow to facilitate the Court’s critical need for more space. This strategy to centralize the Sheriff’s operations also increased their efficiency and reduced operating costs because the Sheriff was occupying leased office space in several locations due to the Lawrence W. Crow Center in Bartow not being large enough to accommodate their entire staff. he Public Safety Complex, currently under construction off CR 540 will house a number of functions, including the Sheriff’s Administration and a critically needed new Emergency Operations Center for the County. When any facility is constructed, it must not only meet today’s operational needs, but must be designed with an eye to the future – anticipating growth. Whatever we build must last for many, many years and today’s design and construction costs are considerably lower than they have been in recent years, making it an even smarter decision to build now for anticipated future needs.
Posted:9/17/2009 12:48 PM
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I don't know if this has been asked yet or not, but in the current budgeting process I understand that "Administrative" staff is not being looked at for cuts or having to go through this whole "BFO" process. Other programs that are funded by the general funds are being looked at and tiers had to made to butcher (for lack of words) those programs, so they could still hopefully survive until better times. I was actually surprised to hear "Admin" staff don't need to worry. Not that I have anything against the admin staff where I am, there are several of us that do wonder what a few people in the "admin" do and I see where there could be some consolidation there.
If this is factual, then I would like to know why admin staff is sacred and the other "non" admin staff are not.
Because BFO evaluates, and ranks, a program’s contribution to citizen’s expected results, administrative personnel could very well be impacted. Since, administrative personnel, as an employee group, are NOT a program, the employee group is not part of the BFO process. However, the tiered budgets that were required by the County Manager also had impacts to administrative personnel, where appropriate. So, while this group was not RANKED as a program by themselves, their positions were not held harmless. For the FY09/10 Budget Process approximately $800,000 was cut from the County Manager’s reorganization which included eliminating 9 administrative personnel.
Posted:9/17/2009 12:24 PM
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THIS IS MORE A SHARING OF SOME THOUGHTS, AND FEELINGS. TO CONSTANTLY MENTION EMPLOYEES AS SEPARATE FROM CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS IS TO FURTHER CONFUSE THE TRUE PICTURE AND TO NOT ACCURATELY DEPICT THE IMPACT ON THE COUNTY'S ECONOMY. COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE SOME OF THE MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO THE OVERALL ECONOMY, AND DEFINITELY ON THE BUSINESSES IN THE LOCAL AREAS WHERE THEY WORK. COUNTY EMPLOYEES PAY THEIR OWN SALARIES, THE SALARIES OF COUNTY MANAGEMENT AND THE COMMISSIONERS: THEY ARE NOT FREELOADERS OR LOAFERS. THEY CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE, BECAUSE THEY ARE THEIR COMMUNITIES. THEIR WORK AFFECTS NOT ONLY FRIENDS, FAMILIES, NEIGHBORS, BUT THEMSELVES. THEIR HEALTH NOT ONLY AFFECTS THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO ALL THE CITIZENS THEY SERVE IN THE COUNTY. TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE EMPLOYEES DOES NOT BENEFIT THE COUNTY'S OVERALL VISION AND MISSION, IT UNDERMINES IT. TO SAY THE COUNTY IS A COUNTY OF CHOICE; A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK; AND, THEN NOT UPHOLD THAT WHEN DEALING WITH EMPLOYEES, DOES NOT UPHOLD INTEGRITY BY WORD, NOR DEED. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN STATED THAT CHARITY SHOULD BEGIN AT HOME. IF YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN THEN NO ONE ELSE WILL NEED TO DO IT FOR YOU. TO CARE FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF NON TAXPAYERS OVER YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SHIFT THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO OTHERS, POSSIBLY MEDICAID AND WELFARE: IS THIS THE EXAMPLE TO SET? OTHER TAXPAYERS ARE INCLINED TO FORGET THAT COUNTY EMPLOYEES PAY TAXES; SUPPORT SCHOOLS, THROUGH TIME AND MONEY; SUPPORT AREA BUSINESS, THROUGH PURCHASES; AND, PROVIDE SERVICES, THROUGH THEIR SALARIES AND WAGES FOR THE WORK THEY DO, NOT ONLY FOR OTHER TAXPAYERS, BUT THEMSELVES, AS WELL; SO, THEY CARE ABOUT THE IMPACT THEY HAVE ON THE ECONOMY, PROBABLY MORE THAN THE NON INFORMED TAXPAYER. WHEN YOU ARE MAKING AND FINALIZING YOUR DECISIONS, PLEASE KEEP THESE THINGS IN MIND. ALSO, REMEMBER THAT THE MAJORITY OF YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE WAY BELOW WHAT IS CONSIDERED THE AVERAGE FAMILY INCOME AND, YET, THE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE BY THOSE AT OR ABOVE THIS LEVEL. MOST EMPLOYEES DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO OBTAIN HEALTH CARE AT THE COSTS YOU ARE PROPOSING AND MANY WOULD JUST MISS QUALIFYING FOR ASSISTANCE; BECAUSE, THEY WORK TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND ARE IN THAT LOW TO LOW-MIDDLE WORKING CLASS.
SEPARATE ITEMS: IF YOU APPROVE THE FURLOUGHS WITHOUT PAY, BESIDES AFFECTING SERVICES AND THE FURTHER IMPACT, RELATIVE TO THE ABOVE, THINK OF THE MESSAGE YOU SEND TO THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO GAVE UP WEEKS OF VACATION PAY, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T TAKE THE TIME DUE TO REDUCE STAFFING; WILLINGLY GAVE OF THEIR TIME; AND, CAME IN TO WORK, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, EVEN WHEN SICK. NOW, YOU SAY THAT IT WAS THE ACCEPTABLE THING TO BE OUT IN LOST TIME WITH NO CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD THE TIME TO BE OUT; THEY WERE MISTAKEN IN THINKING THE RIGHT THING TO DO WAS TO BE AT WORK IF AT ALL POSSIBLE; AND, IT DIDN'T MATTER, AFTER ALL. YOU ALSO SAY THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY AND BEEN FAITHFUL ARE NOT VALUED AND APPRECIATED FOR THEIR SERVICE. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS TIES WITH THE MISSION AND VISION, NOT ONLY OF THE COUNTY, BUT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND OUR NATIONAL MISSION AND VISION. I BELEIVE WE WON'T OUR PEOPLE TO BE VALUED; HAVE A STRONG WORK ETHIC; BE IN GOOD HEALTH; AND, BE TREATED WITH CARING AND RESPECT. I DELIBERATELY DIDN'T SAY THE OLD DIGNITY AND RESPECT, BECAUSE YOU CAN BE COLDLY DIGNIFIED, BUT YOU MUST HAVE COMPASSION TO CARE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and legitimate concerns. We share the same concerns and recognize the financial hardship many employees are already experiencing – even before salary freezes and escalating health insurance costs. As employees, and part of the Polk County family, we are ALWAYS concerned when a family member is hurting. Unfortunately, all families must deal with financial difficulties from time to time, and this family is no different. We will do all possible to minimize the negative impact on employees, but it would be far less than truthful to say that we can eliminate it altogether. In being open and honest, we know that we are also acting with integrity, and ALL of those things ARE in keeping with our mission and vision. We trust that you and others who have expressed similar concerns will continue to help fellow workers through this difficult time by demonstrating support and showing genuine concern – looking for ways to help, even if it’s just offering a friendly ear to listen.
Posted:9/16/2009 6:53 PM
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Is Polk County, as a government entity, exempt from the HIPAA laws?
No. Polk County is not exempt from compliance with Federal HIPPA laws.
Posted:9/16/2009 6:53 PM
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Many of the transit drivers have received the memos which talk about the bonuses that will be handed out to 150 employees who saved the county fuel by having their vehicles maintained and by following the counties 55 mph rule. We don't believe there is another agency who puts more miles on the road than the transit service. We would like to see our part of this bonus. Thank you for your time.
We concur with your statements about the excellence of our Transit drivers and their safety records. However, the incentive can only be calculated for vehicles for vehicle driven by the SAME employee every day. For that reason, Transit, EMS, Fire and many other County divisions are not eligible.
Posted:9/16/2009 6:52 PM