Residents urge action on animal control facility, ditches and public records at Polk County meeting

Several Polk County residents used the public‑comment period at the July 1 Board of County Commissioners meeting to press county officials for follow‑up on local problems including animal‑control facility conditions, repeated residential flooding in Mount Tabor Estates, difficulty obtaining public records and a homeowner’s permit complaint.

Wallace Lowry, who identified his house at 628 Hobson Road, said he had attempted repairs to his home but encountered what he described as improper demands from contractors when he sought help navigating permits and codes. "When they give me someone to talk to, first thing they say, I'll sign anything you want, but you gotta give me $3,000 first," Lowry said. "That don't sound right. That sound like extortion to me. And I just want to fix my house. That's all I want." County management identified staff (including Mr. Dunn and Mr. Holman) available to assist Lowry after the meeting.

Debbie Hicks, who gave an address of 236 Alderman Road, said she volunteered at the county animal control facility from 2017 to 2021 and called the facility outdated and in need of replacement. "The building that I worked out of was built in 1988. The drainage system is terrible. It's infested," Hicks said, and she told commissioners she believes the county owns and operates the facility and should address its physical condition. Hicks urged the board to improve the facility so volunteers and staff can do their work safely; county staff did not offer a specific timeline during public comment.

James Abercrombie told the board he has repeatedly sought public records relating to a fence at Hunt Fountain Park and said he has not received invoices or inspection documents for the work. He said he believes records are missing and urged the board to investigate; he said he would pursue the issue with state authorities if necessary.

From Mount Tabor Estates, Mary Hodges (3509 Rose Road) and Jessica Alvarado (3326 Mount Tabor Road) described severe flooding this year they said they had not previously experienced. Hodges said she had 2½ feet of flooding in her home and a neighbor had 4½ feet during a recent event; Alvarado said light rain last week already caused flooding at the bus stop used by her children and interfered with home plumbing so the family could not flush toilets. Both said ditches and a culvert beneath Rose Road appeared to be blocked and requested county assistance.

County staff responded in the meeting. Manager Bill Beasley and county staff members in the audience identified Jay Jarvis and John Bode as county contacts and said county crews would clear blocked culverts on county assets; staff also advised residents that some ditches in the Mount Tabor area are privately maintained and encouraged neighbors to coordinate voluntary cleanup efforts where rights‑of‑way or private easements apply. Beasley offered to have staff inspect the referenced locations and report back.

The board did not take formal action on these public comments during the meeting; staff offered follow‑up visits and an operational response where property was a county asset.