Polk County Commissioner Michael Scott called for a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 17, so residents could voice concerns and share ideas about a planned North Lakeland Government Center in Kathleen. The new center would replace the one currently housed in the former Sears building on Memorial Boulevard near downtown Lakeland.
Residents voiced opposition to the new center alongside additional concerns that some said were equally or more important: on-going flooding, increasing traffic and speeding, a lack of street lighting, and continued development.
“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that most of us live in Kathleen because it’s peaceful and because it’s quiet. If we wanted convenience, we would live on the south side,” said one resident. “Our government and our county commissioners are selling us out. And you’re selling us out because of money.”
The meeting lasted two and a half hours. Twenty-nine residents asked questions and shared their opinions. The crowd of 260 people often clapped in encouragement, at times shouting additional comments…