Class VI Calendar 2012 – 2013

Orientation & Welcome Reception (mandatory)

August 23, 2012 – Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales

Orientation – 4:00–6:00pm

Welcome Reception with Leadership Polk Alumni – 6:00–7:00pm

Opening Overnight Retreat (mandatory)

September 27-28, 2012

Arrive  – 8:00am on Sept. 27

Depart – 1:00pm on Sept. 28

You will provide your own transportation to the retreat.

Overnight accommodations are provided, cost is included in tuition.

Class Days (attendance at 5 of 6 days is required)

You will meet the bus at the Polk County Government Center on Winter Lake Road

Class days run from 7:30 am – 6:00 pm

October 25, 2012

November 15, 2012

January 24, 2013

February 28, 2013

March 28, 2013

April 25, 2013

Closing Retreat and Graduation (mandatory)

May 23, 2013

Closing Retreat – 8:15–11:45am

Graduation Luncheon – 12:00–2:00pm

Attendance is mandatory at the evening orientation and reception in August, the two-day opening retreat in September, and the end of the year retreat in May. Class members are allowed to miss one of the six day-long sessions. This attendance policy is strictly enforced and no exceptions are made for mandatory events.

An individual must be nominated for Leadership Polk to be able to submit an application. Self-nominations are welcome and encouraged. To make a nomination click here.

Nomination and Application Schedule

Please note: Class members will be considered from all communities in Polk County. Applicants for Leadership Polk who represent the following communities: Bartow, Haines City, Lakeland, Lake Wales or Winter Haven, must be a graduate of their local Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership program before being considered for Leadership Polk. At Large class members will be considered from individuals working for organizations with a county-wide focus.

For more information about the Leadership Polk program, click here.

Questions? Contact April Mucci, Leadership Polk Program Coordinator, at leadershippolk@polkvision.com or (863) 644-6278.

Leadership Polk Class V 2011-2012 Course Calendar

Class days run from 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.  Each class day begins at the Polk County Government Center on Winter Lake Road where participants board the bus for the day’s transit. Participants may not miss more than one class day.

Program Content

Topics covered include Education, Regionalism, Government, Infrastructure, Economic Development and Quality of Life.

Municipality tours of Winter Haven, Eagle Lake, Lakeland, Mulberry, Bartow, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Lake Wales, Haines City, Davenport, Lake Hamilton, Dundee, Auburndale, Lake Alfred & Polk City.

Did you know Polk County is 150 years old? On February 8, 1861, shortly after Florida withdrew from the Union, Polk County was established . Visit Polk Proud 150  to learn more about the year-long Sesquicentennial celebration. It may take that long to learn to say ‘Sesquicentennial’!

Polk Vision is conducting a comprehensive revision of the original priorities and strategies developed in 2004 which we are calling “Polk Vision Refresh.” We will be gathering community input through Focus Groups, Social Media communications, surveys and Task Force meetings that will be used in the revision process. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or participate in the conversations on our website blog to have your voice heard.

click here to view the Polk Vision Refresh Timeline

You can click on the links below to view the presentations regarding regionalism and visioning made to the Leadership Polk Class III on November 19th.

Making the Vision a Reality - Tom Deardorff, Polk County Growth Management

Linking Regional Visions in Polk County – Pat Steed, Central Florida Regional Planning Council

Florida in the Future: Competing as a MegaRegion – John Kaliski, Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

*After clicking on a link above, please be patient as the presentation can take several moments to download.

The 2010 Census questionaire should be arriving in your mailbox this week! Polk County and its municipalities will receive a portion of the $400 billion in federal funds available each year based on the number of people counted in the Census. Since the Census only takes place every 10 years its important that everyone residing in the county is counted, especially the hard-to-reach or traditionally underserved groups.