Polk County Government is doing everything it can to protect the health and safety of our residents, employees and guests from the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is an uncertain time in our country and we are all in this together. The entire nation is being asked to take some extreme measures for a period of time to slow the growth of the coronavirus.

The Board of County Commissioners also wants to provide as many services as we can; however, we now find it necessary to close many of our facilities to public access and counter transactions until a time to be determined.

Effective at sunset today, Saturday March 21, all county parks and natural resource facilities will be closed until further notice. This includes parks with playgrounds and recreational leagues, environmental lands and trails such as Fort Frasier, campgrounds, dog parks, the shooting range, History Center, Circle B Bar Reserve, Bone Valley ATV Park, Homeland Heritage Park and our resource centers.

Beginning Monday, all county facilities will be closed to public walk-in transactions. This includes the County Administration Building, Frank Smith Building on Golfview Avenue in Bartow, Indigent Healthcare offices, Utilities Administration, Gil Jones and Lakeland branch facilities. These facilities will be closed to the public until further notice.

Polk County government will remain available for business to customers through our website for services that include bill payments, development review and permitting. Customers may also mail payments or applications or call for more information.

Residential garbage collection will continue as scheduled. The landfill will also remain open; however, customers coming to the landfill should anticipate delays in service due to increased traffic as we practice social distancing measures.

Polk County thanks you for your patience and understanding during this critical time in our country.