In response to the Governor’s most recent Executive Order addressing the need to assist the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity with the vast number of Floridians needing and attempting to file for Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment Compensation).  Our Northeast Polk citizens who cannot get into the CONNECT system to file their claim will be able to pick up Paper RA Applications at the following designated sites listed below. Instructions to applicants will also be attached to the application.

To Download and Print the Application click here 

Locations in Haines City, FL

Haines City Library
620 E. Main Street
Haines City, FL 33844

Northeast Polk Chamber of Commerce
35610 US-27
Haines City, FL 33844

Florida’s Division of Emergency Management (DEM) is seeking the assistance of Florida manufacturers and suppliers to fill the needs of Florida’s hospitals and emergency care services during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including N95 masks, face shields and gowns. N95 masks are a current priority.

If you can help, please contact: Logsecsupportdir@em.myflorida.com.

Vendors can register their company with the state’s procurement system known as MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) at the link below or they can call MFMP directly at 1-866-352-3776. https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com.

To assist companies willing to consider a shift in production lines in order to fulfill critical needs, the Governor’s office has asked Enterprise Florida’s (EFI) International Trade & Development to distribute the specs for ventilators, N95 masks and surgical masks. If any company can produce the critically needed medical supplies, please contact EFI’s Michael Cooney at mcooney@enterpriseflorida.com.

Apply at: www.EmployFlorida.com and send resumes to M.Spoerlein@cbbcorp.com

COVID-19 | UPDATE #2 from City of Haines City 

Below are details regarding City operations in compliance with the most recent COVID-19 guidance provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The following decisions are through Friday, April 17, and will be reevaluated for the subsequent 30 days. Moment to moment updates and changes to CDC guidance may result in modifications of this plan and will be addressed in updates following this release.

CDC: Interim Guidance for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
**Guidance as of 3/15/2020**
Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.

Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.

Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.

This recommendation does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses. This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus. This recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.

City Facilities

All Parks & Recreation facilities will be closed beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17. This includes Lake Eva Event Center, Lake Eva Community Center, Oakland Neighborhood Center, and Haines City Public Library.

City Hall will remain open to accept utility payments. We encourage residents to use Online Bill Pay and the drop box as available alternatives.

All in-person meetings with City employees will be canceled; phone conferencing only.

• • Commission meeting is currently scheduled for Thursday, March 19. However, the potential to reschedule the meeting will be determined by Wednesday at 5PM.
  • Presidential Primary election will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17 at designated polling locations.
  • Municipal elections will still take place at designated polling locations Tuesday, April 7. We encourage residents to request a mail-in ballot.
  • Haines City and Polk County School Board Administrations will have locations available for grab-and-go lunches (locations below). Hours of Operation: 11 AM-1 PM. For more information, please contact PCSB.
    • Headstart/VPK | 1008 Avenue D Haines City, FL 33844
    • Alta Vista Elementary | 801 Scenic Hwy, Haines City, FL 33844
    • Eastside Elementary | 1820 E Johnson Ave, Haines City, FL 33844

Canceled Events & Programs

At this time, all City events not compliant with the CDC Interim Guidance as of 03/15/2020, have been canceled or will be postponed until further notice.

Canceled Events*

• Spring Break Camp (Parks & Recreation)
• March Finally Friday (CRA & Northeast Chamber)
• Doctor Who Party (Haines City Public Library)
• The Charleston 9 Seminar (Haines City Fire Department)
• Easter Egg Hunt (Parks & Recreation)
• Haines City Theater

Canceled Athletics

• Outdoor Soccer
• Girls Volleyball
• Haines City Little League Baseball
• Miss Haines City Softball
• Instructional Programming

*If you have an upcoming rental at City facilities, a member of our staff will contact the event applicant directly regarding the decision and how it will affect your event.

Message from the Mayor Morris West

“Be assured your local government is working to make sure we do everything in our power to limit the spread of this virus in our community. The safety of our residents, visitors and employees are paramount, and we will continue to take measures to flatten the curve.”

Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | National COVID-19 Center
Florida Department of Health | COVID-19 Information Center
AdventHealth | AdventHealth Coronavirus Resource Hub
City of Haines City | Website | Facebook

WASHINGTON – SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza issued the following statement today in response to the President’s address to the nation:

“The President took bold, decisive action to make our 30 million small businesses more resilient to Coronavirus-related economic disruptions. Small businesses are vital economic engines in every community and state, and they have helped make our economy the strongest in the world. Our Agency will work directly with state Governors to provide targeted, low-interest disaster recovery loans to small businesses that have been severely impacted by the situation. Additionally, the SBA continues to assist small businesses with counseling and navigating their own preparedness plans through our network of 68 District Offices and numerous Resource Partners located around the country. The SBA will continue to provide every small business with the most effective and customer-focused response possible during these times of uncertainty.”

Process for Accessing SBA’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disaster Relief Lending

• The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Upon a request received from a state’s or territory’s Governor, SBA will issue under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration.
• Any such Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance declaration issued by the SBA makes loans available to small businesses and private, non-profit organizations in designated areas of a state or territory to help alleviate economic injury caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
• SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance will coordinate with the state’s or territory’s Governor to submit the request for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance.
• Once a declaration is made for designated areas within a state, the information on the application process for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance will be made available to all affected communities.
• SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance and can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.
• These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses without credit available elsewhere; businesses with credit available elsewhere are not eligible. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.
• SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay.
• SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans are just one piece of the expanded focus of the federal government’s coordinated response, and the SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible.

For additional information, please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center. Call 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

The Business Damage Assessment Survey can be taken online at https://floridadisaster.biz/

Tallahassee, Fla. (March 12, 2020) – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the activation of the Business Damage Assessment survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on Florida’s local business operations. The survey, managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), will evaluate businesses affected by COVID-19 and the impacts the virus has had on the local economy so actions to implement appropriate relief programs can begin.

“Gathering information about the impact COVID-19 has on Florida businesses and industries will be invaluable to the state’s efforts in coordinating our response,” said Governor DeSantis. “It is important that we understand the total impact COVID-19 has on businesses to ensure that we access the resources that may be available.”

The Business Damage Assessment Survey can be taken online at https://floridadisaster.biz/. Results from this survey will be shared with state agencies and local partners. Surveys submitted by small businesses can be used to access the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan, made available for COVID-19 through the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. For inquiries or assistance with the survey, businesses can contact Emergency Support Function 18 at ESF18@em.myflorida.com.

“Under Governor DeSantis’ direction, the state of Florida has maintained contact with our business partners throughout the state in order to develop a proactive response for COVID-19 business impacts,” said Florida DEO Executive Director Ken Lawson. “We need feedback from all Florida businesses to provide comprehensive information about the impacts of COVID-19 to our partners at the federal level.”

Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-52 declaring a State of Emergency for COVID-19 and directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to activate the Florida Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to a Level II, to coordinate the state’s response to COVID-19. Last week, the governor issued Executive Order 20-51 directing the State Surgeon General to declare a public health emergency.

For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 in Florida, please visit the Florida Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the state’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling (866) 779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

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Haines City Fertilizer Plant Set for Demolition

HAINES CITY, FL – The Haines City industrial property, constructed in 1918 and commonly referred to as the “old fertilizer plant” by the local community, is set for demolition. Many of our residents can recall stories of their family members who worked at the plant, which is situated next to the railroad line.

Demolition for the warehouse property located on Citrus Avenue is scheduled for February 24-March 20. Haines City Public Infrastructure’s Streets Division will have signage out for traffic notification of road closures during this period; however, delays can be expected.

Steve Bivens Contracting, Inc will complete an asbestos survey of the buildings as well as the demolition of all commercial structures. Demolition debris will be disposed of in a certified construction and demolition landfill.

After the site is prepped, Haines City Parks & Recreation, with the financial support of our Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), will turn the property into functional outdoor space for the community. This space is donated by Haines City’s former Commissioner Don Mason and family.

“These types of partnerships are essential for creating destinations in our community,” said City Manager Deric C. Feacher. “Destinations that all levels, from children to adults, can utilize making Haines City a continued benchmark community.”

In an effort to expedite the process, the Parks & Recreation Department elected to execute a mini-master plan for the property. Parks and Recreation Director, Terrell Griffin, says several options are being explored during this conceptual phase.

The initial proposal is to construct facilities and multipurpose fields, which may include a place for soccer, football, lacrosse or quidditch to be played. Additional amenities will be added as funding becomes available, including possible sensory-rich playgrounds allowing children of all abilities to grow together.

The Haines City Economic Development Council, Inc. is excited to kick off 2020! We have been serving Haines City for over 15 years and will continue working with the City of Haines City and the Board of County Commissioners to grow our community for years to come. We are here to help in building relationships for the recruitment of corporations who create new jobs and contribute to the capital investment into our community. The Haines City Economic Development Council, Inc. looks forward to 2020 as the growth continues in the City of Haines City and in Northeast Polk County.

Enjoy our Newsletter, Click here to Read! 

HAINES CITY FINALLY FRIDAY EVENT KICKS OFF JANUARY 31

The Haines City Finally Friday Community Festival will kick off January 31, 2020, with a wide array of artists, vendors, food trucks and music for the whole community to enjoy.

This monthly street festival will include and celebrate the arts and culture scene of Historic Downtown Haines City. Designed as an incubator for artists and small businesses, the festival will become a driving force of the downtown’s resurgence as a vibrant district, and most of all will be a celebration of all the things that make Haines City great. Produced by the City of Haines Community Redevelopment Agency and the Northeast Polk Chamber of Commerce, the Haines City Finally Friday Festival will feature a family-friendly, only-in-Haines City experience.

The theme for January is CULINARY COMMUNITY, and will host a food truck rally, Karaoke Contest with prizes, and fun for the family. Admission is free.  Our entertainment lineup is a fun Karaoke Competition, and you can email Julie Revell at Julie.Revell@HainesCity.com for more information.

Haines City Finally Fridays takes place from 6:00-9:00pm at Railroad Park on 6^th and Main in Historic Downtown Haines City.  It’s one of many things going on downtown in 2020. For more information on activities downtown and around town visit www.hainescity.com.

Haines City Finally Friday: CULINARY COMMUNITY
January 31, 2020, 6:00-9:00pm
Interested Vendors Contact: 863-421-5572, Ext 5572