Polk County has five commissioners who govern the county by setting property tax rates and approving the county budget each year. They also adopt resolutions and local laws, and they make final determinations on local land use.
In Polk County, commissioners are elected to four-year terms and they can serve for a total of up to three terms. Each of the five commissioners represent a different district of the county, and they each must reside in the district they represent.
Polk’s commissioners typically meet at 9 a.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month, in the boardroom of the County Administration Building. Local policies are discussed, and established, at these meetings, which are open to the public. In fact, the public can address the commissioners at these meetings. The meetings, which are also televised, serve as opportunity for residents to gain and share information.
Commissioners are not the only elected officials in the county, though. Nor are they the sole policymakers. Polk County residents also elect the county’s sheriff, tax collector, supervisor of elections, property appraiser, and clerk and comptroller. Each of these officials have independent authority to develop policies for their area.
Polk County’s commissioners also appoint a county manager, who is responsible for overseeing the county government’s day-to-day activities. The county also employs more than 2,200 people, who help provide the government’s many services.
Ultimately, though, the people who vote the commissioners into office – Polk County’s residents – have the power to run the county government. By choosing which candidates to vote for, you can voice your opinion and show what’s important to you.