Polk County commissioners approve fire station, federal public-safety grants, landfill engineering contract and several property vacations

Polk County commissioners voted on multiple capital, grant and real-estate items during their April meeting, approving a joint-use Highland City fire rescue station with the City of Bartow, accepting federal public-safety grants and related equipment purchases, and approving infrastructure and environmental engineering agreements.

The board approved an agreement with the City of Bartow to design, construct and maintain a joint-use Highland City fire rescue station at 2421 Smith Lane. The project’s total design, engineering, permitting and construction budget is $12,000,000, with Polk County’s share set at $6,780,000 and Bartow’s at $5,220,000. The board approved the agreement by motion; no roll-call tally was read into the record.

The board also accepted two U.S. Department of Justice FY24 COPS Technology and Equipment Program Invitational Solicitation grant awards totaling $1,559,000 (award GG02137 for $850,000 and award GG02140 for $709,000) to fund…