When was the last time you visited the City library? September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month and the Lakeland Public Library wants the residents of Polk County to discover the library! Residents of Polk County of all ages can register for a library card for free. All you need to do is visit your local library and present a valid picture ID with your current Polk County address or preregister online at www.lakelandgov.net/library and bring in proof of address within 30 days. It’s that easy.

At any Lakeland library location, patrons can borrow materials such as movies, music, wifi hotspots and of course books! Our libraries offer free services such as public computer access, public Wi-Fi, help with mobile devices, computer classes and tutor rooms.

Looking for activities for the kids? The public library has it covered with dynamic story times, craft times, tech clubs and special days for teens and tweens. What about activities for adults? Yes, the library has adults covered too with book clubs, craft nights, quilting, musical concerts and so much more.

Library patrons can even use the library from their own home! Cardholders have access to the library’s extensive digital collection. Stream movies, television shows, music and download materials such as magazines and ebooks all from the comfort of home for free. Having fun isn’t hard, once you have your library card and your library card is valid at any public library in Polk County. Indiviuals 16 years of age or younger must have parental authorization to get a library card.

For more information about signing up for a library card and cardholder services, please stop by any Lakeland branch or visit:

NATIONAL LIBRARY CARD MONTHCELEBRATE BY SIGNING UP TODAY!

Lakelandgov.net/Library

LAKELANDPUBLICLIBRARIES

Main Library100 Lake Morton DriveLakeland, FL 33801863.834.4280

Larry R. Jackson Branch1700 N. Florida AvenueLakeland, FL 33805863.834.4288

eLibrary South Lakeland 4740 S. Florida AvenueLakeland, FL 33813863.838.4507

CITY OF LAKELAND NEWS & EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 2018

HALLOWEEN FLASHLIGHT EGG HUNTBRING THE FAMILY OUT FOR A FUN FILLED NIGHT

NEW START TIME FOR COMMISSION MEETINGSMAKE SURE YOU ARE UPDATED WITH THE NEW CHANGES

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTMEET BETH SHERLING

FLORIDA LINEWORKER APPRECIATION DAYJOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE FLORIDA LINEWORKERS

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Get Ready For ShredFest!

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The CItY Of LakElaNd, LakElaNd VisIon, LakElaNd CleaN & BeauTifuL & LakEs EduCatIon/aCtiOn DriVe PreSeNT The 15TH aNnuaL

S PONSORED BYLaKES E D u CaT ION/aCT ION DRIVE | MaXPaKCROWDER BROTHERS aC E HaRDWaRE | LaKELaND V I S IONLaKELaND C LEaN & BEauT I F u L | P u B L IX Su P ER MaRKETS , IN C .LaKELaND FaM I LY YMCa | C i tY OF LaKELaNDWood E nv i ronmE n t & I n f rast ru C Ture So luT I on sSOuTHWE ST F LORI Da Wat ER MaNaG EM ENT D I STRI CT

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 863 .834 .6276 OR 863 .899.8157

TO RaISE aWaRENESS aBOuT POLK COuNTY LaKES aND FOR RESIDENTS TO LEaRN HOW THEIR aCTIONS CaN aFFECT LaKE WaTER QuaLITY

TO DESIGN, CONSTRuCTaND RaCE a BOaTMaDE OF CaRDBOaRDaROuND a MaRKED COuRSEON LaKE HOLLINGSWORTH

PREBuILT & ON-SITE BuILD CORPORaTE/COMMuNITY | FaMILY | YOuTH

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18CardboardBoatChallenge_Poster.pdf 4 8/15/18 3:56 PM

@mylakelandelectric

All fire stations will be open to Trick or Treaters on Halloween, October 31, 2018. The Lakeland Fire Department and its Fire Stations where firefighters work and live, are very much a part of the community they serve. LFD wants trick or treaters the night of Halloween to have safe place to visit.

Sweet treats and fire safety goodies will be available at all seven fire stations until 8:30 p.m. So, if any little firefighters or other costumed kids are nearby, stop by to say hello to Lakeland’s friendly firefighters.

For a list of station locations visit http://www.lakelandgov.net/departments/lakeland-fire-department/about-us/stations/

* Firefighters will be on duty and actively running emergency calls so there could be times when no firefighters are in the house.

Trick or Treat !

10.6.188:30a M - NoON

laKeholLinGswOrtH

bOaT RaMP

PurPosE

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ChaLlenGe

The CItY Of LakElaNd, LakElaNd VisIon, LakElaNd CleaN & BeauTifuL & LakEs EduCatIon/aCtiOn DriVe PreSeNT The 15TH aNnuaL

S PONSORED BYLaKES E D u CaT ION/aCT ION DRIVE | MaXPaKCROWDER BROTHERS aC E HaRDWaRE | LaKELaND V I S IONLaKELaND C LEaN & BEauT I F u L | P u B L IX Su P ER MaRKETS , IN C .LaKELaND FaM I LY YMCa | C i tY OF LaKELaNDWood E nv i ronmE n t & I n f rast ru C Ture So luT I on sSOuTHWE ST F LORI Da Wat ER MaNaG EM ENT D I STRI CT

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 863 .834 .6276 OR 863 .899.8157

TO RaISE aWaRENESS aBOuT POLK COuNTY LaKES aND FOR RESIDENTS TO LEaRN HOW THEIR aCTIONS CaN aFFECT LaKE WaTER QuaLITY

TO DESIGN, CONSTRuCTaND RaCE a BOaTMaDE OF CaRDBOaRDaROuND a MaRKED COuRSEON LaKE HOLLINGSWORTH

PREBuILT & ON-SITE BuILD CORPORaTE/COMMuNITY | FaMILY | YOuTH

BEFORE OCTOBER 1$40 aFTER

$35)(

NON-REFUNDABLE REGISTRATION FEE:

FOR TEaM GuIDELINESaND TO REGISTER:

LaKESEDuCaTION.ORG

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18CardboardBoatChallenge_Poster.pdf 4 8/15/18 3:56 PM NEW TIME CHANGES FOR CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS

Beth Sherling began her career with the City of Lakeland in 1997 as a lifeguard at the City’s two aquatic facilities Gandy Pool and Simpson Park Pool. She worked for the City as a lifeguard and swim lesson instructor throughout high school and became a Lead Lifeguard while attending Florida Southern College. As chance would have it, a full-time position in the Parks & Recreation Department became available as Sherling was graduating from Florida Southern with her bachelor of arts in Communications. Since 2004 she has been a Recreation Supervisor I at Kelly Recreation Complex and then Facility Manager at the Lake Mirror Complex, all while assisting with the communications needs of the Department. Most recently Sherling has been blessed with the opportunity to work in the Parks & Recreation Director’s office acting as a liaison between Parks & Recreation and the Communications Department to help facilitate the multitude of project requests each year, including swim lesson and summer camp marketing materials, park and facility openings, the Florida Outdoor Sculpture Competition and The Playmaker, activity program brochure. Additionally, she helps maintain the Parks & Recreation web pages and Facebook page @LakelandParkRec. This role has given Sherling the chance to tell the story of Parks & Recreation. She especially appreciates the opportunity to bring attention to many of the unsung heroes that make a difference in Lakeland everyday through beautiful public spaces and innovative programming. Sherling has a passion for Lakeland and especially all things Parks & Recreation. “I am proud of my City and love being able to recommend ideas for quick trips and adventures around town” ,she says.

Outside of work, Sherling has a passion for running and travel and attempts to combine the two whenever possible. She has run a

September marks a change with the Lakeland City Commission meetings now starting at 3 p.m. All City Commission meetings take place the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month unless the date falls on a recognized holiday. Mayor Bill Mutz said, “The City Commission voted to move the meeting from a 9 a.m. start to 3 p.m. to help increase citizen participation for those that want to attend the meetings in person. Those citizens that would like to address the commission during a meeting can now do so without compromising their day because we have moved the audience portion of the meetings to the very end.” He added, “The 3 p.m. time slot was chosen as a compromise to help accommodate our citizens and the business sector who regularly sends staff members to meetings.”

City Manager Tony Delgado said, “In preparation for the shift to 3 p.m. City Commission meetings, staff has reviewed options to help administer the meeting and assist those who are interested in both attending as well as administering business with the City. We have modified the agenda to better serve our residents.” Changes to the Agenda starting in September will include:

• A 3 p.m. call to order to start the meetings.• The current audience portion at the beginning of the agenda will be removed so there will only be one audience portion at the end

of the agenda to better accommodate citizens. Commissioner Justin Troller said, “This is great news as we continue to push for improved transparency in government. It’s a win anytime

we can better serve the Citizens of Lakeland and getting the City Commission meetings moved to a later hour has been on my agenda for years. I commend this Commission and staff for making it happen.”

For additional information about the City of Lakeland or to watch a live City Commission meeting on demand, please visit www.lakelandgov.net. Citizens are also invited to follow the City on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, Snapchat and Nextdoor to stay informed. You can find the City of Lakeland on these social media platforms by searching lakelandgov.

half marathon on Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington State, a Marathon in Charleston, SC, the Bolder Boulder in Boulder, CO, 5ks in Chicago and New Orleans, and fun runs in NYC (more times than she can count), San Francisco and St. Louis. She also recently hiked Half Dome in Yosemite which was an experience of a lifetime.

Sherling has returned to her alma mater, Florida Southern College, and is currently working on her MBA. Prior to returning to school, Sherling was an active member of the Junior League of Greater Lakeland and is eternally grateful for the leadership training and friendships she has gathered throughout the years. She is proud and in awe of all the amazing things the League accomplishes in the community, including the World of Reading, Christmas Parade, parent’s nights at elementary schools and the return of the Thrift Sale, among others.

Sherling and her partner Paul love to cook and enjoy experimenting with different cooking techniques and food genres. Some of their favorites are tacos with homemade corn tortillas, kofta and they have made many attempts at Indian cuisine. It’s probably a good thing that Sherling enjoys running since Paul is known to make delicious homemade bread!

Her original hometown was Athens, Georgia where she spent a lot of her childhood before moving to Lakeland, GO DAWGS! Her parents, Steve and Thelma, and younger brother Stephen also call Lakeland home. Her parents instilled a work ethic and pride in work that she has carried with her throughout her career with the City of Lakeland. Their support throughout the years has been invaluable.

Beth Sherling, you are one of the reasons Lakeland is a great place to live, work and play!

CITY OF LAKELAND EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Beth Sherling Program Coordinator

Online | www.lakelandgov.net In Person | City Hall • 8AM – 5PM • Monday-Fridayfacebook.com/lakelandgov | twitter.com/lakelandgov | instagram: lakelandgovListen Lakeland • First Sunday • FM 97.5 WPCV @ 8:30AM | FM 98.3 WWRZ @ 8AM | AM 1430 WLKF @ 8AM | AM 1230 WONN @ 9AM

Public Meetings | City Commission Meetings • First and Third Monday • 9AM | Utility Committee Meetings • First Monday • 1PMLive Broadcast on LGN | Channel 643 (Spectrum) | Channel 43 (Frontier FiOS)

IMPORTANT NUMBERS:City Hall • 863.834.6000 Lakeland Electric Customer Service • 863.834.9535 Power or Water Outages • 863.834.4248Pollution Hotline • 863.834.3300 LPD Crime Tips Hotline • 863.834.2549 LPD (Non-Emergency) • 863.834.6900

PAYING YOUR UTILITY BILL:ONLINE | www.lakelandelectric.com BY PHONE | 863.834.9535IN PERSON | Lakeland Electric has partnered with over 50 local businesses including area AMSCOT offices to accept your utility payment.ST

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LakelandElectric.com is proud to introduce the new and improved Outage Map! We’ve integrated a weather radar overlay so customers can see what is happening in their neighborhood. This new map is interactive and will allow customers to click on an active outage and receive real-time information and repair updates. Customers will also have the option to choose their language preference of English or Spanish. As we continue to navigate storm season, Lakeland Electric wants our customers to be prepared and most importantly safe. If you are currently experiencing an outage in your zone or you want to report a power outage or electrical emergency such as a downed power line, customers can also call Lakeland Electric's dedicated toll-free automated system at 863.834.4248.

Customers can view the map by following this link https://lakelandelectric.com/emergency-information-center:

• Visit the LakelandElectric.com website• Then click on Customers, then Outages & Storms We also ask that our customers stay vigilant this storm season

and help us by updating the phone number associated with their account. Our system can recognize your phone number when you call, matching it to your address to help us locate outages quickly. However, Lakeland Electric needs your current phone number on file for our automated outage system to work! Call 863.834.9535 to verify your phone number with a customer service representative or go online to Lakelandelectric.com/customers. Click on “My Account” to login and access your account information.

While we hope for a mild hurricane season, Lakeland Electric is dedicated to staying prepared for any possible storms!

The City of Lakeland is hosting a ShredFest Event, a FREE document shredding event on Saturday, November 3, 2018, from 9am to 12pm at our Solid Waste Office, 605 Evelyn Avenue, in the North parking lot.

Join the City of Lakeland for their second ShredFest Event, celebrating “America Recycles Day”. This one-day event allows residents to bring their personal documents to be securely shreded and recycled. Participants can bring up to five (5) file boxes of paper per vehicle to be shredded and recycled. There is no need to remove envelopes, file folders, staples, tape, paper clips or rubber bands.

ProShred will be on-site providing secure document shredding services and will recycle all shredded paper. File boxes will be collected and recycled by the City.

For more information about this year’s ShredFest, visit our webpage, www.LakelandRecycles.com or call 863.834.8778.

Link to ProShred’s Website: http://www.proshred.com/tampa

NEW AND IMPROVED OUTAGE MAP

Get Ready For ShredFest!

CHIP-TIMED

DECEMBER 15THTHREE PARKS TRAIL

ACCESSLAKELANDREADER

DISCOUNT$5 OFF

THROUGH NOV. 5 USE PROMO CODE: ACCESSREGISTER ONLINE AT:

18HJJBJ_AccessDiscountAd.indd 1 8/7/18 10:56 AM