THE CITY OF FORT MEADE, FLORIDA
Invites Your Interest in Becoming its Next
CITY MANAGER
Fort Meade, Florida is located in Central Florida's Polk County and is part of the Lakeland—Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area, Fort Meade is set amid colossal sand dunes, rolling hills, and indigenous vegetation. The City covers a total area of 8.55 square miles and has a current growing population of approximately 5,500. Fort Meade is the kind of City that still maintains the character and charm of a place where everybody really does know your name. Perhaps Fort Meade's old-fashioned hospitality has something to do with its historic surroundings and its love and celebration of history. The City has over 300 homes on the National Register and more than 150 Fort Meade buildings have landmark designations. Fort Meade is a community that values where it came from and is optimistic about where it is going.
Fort Meade is home to a number of attractive recreational venues including several City-owned parks. The City's crown jewel is the 430-acre Peace River Park which serves as a focal point of the City and brings many people to Fort Meade. Heritage Park and Patterson Park, both located near downtown, provide the community with a variety of attractive amenities and venues including playground, fishing, hiking, biking and more. The City sponsors a number of popular events that attract not only local participants but visitors from around the country.
Economic growth has been evident in Fort Meade. The Mosaic Corporation developed a world class 10,000-acre golf and spa resort named Streamsong nearby. Legoland Florida opened on October 15, 2011, and is having an economic impact on Fort Meade and the surrounding areas. Many of the historic homes are being purchased and restored despite a depressed Florida real estate market. A major data center will soon locate in Fort Meade. The Center is expected to create 100+ well-paying jobs and to generate over $30M in increased general fund revenue. The City's tax base increased by 8.9% this year.
Public K-12 education is provided by Polk County Public Schools. Campuses are Lewis Elementary School (K-5) and Fort Meade Middle-Senior High School (6-12) . The Middle-Senior High, with the District's highest graduation rate, is rated #1 in the County. Polk County Schools has a reputation for educational excellence. Private schools in Fort Meade include New Beginnings High School and St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School (K-8). Higher education facilities within easy reach of Fort Meade include South Florida State College, Polk State College, Webber International University and Southeastern University.
Fort Meade is a charter city that functions under a Commission/Manager form of government. The Commission is responsible for passing ordinances, adopting the budget, appointing committees, and hiring the City's Manager, and the City Attorney.
The City Manager is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the City Commission. He or she is the City's top executive and, as such, is responsible for the proper management and administration of all affairs of the City in accordance with the policies determined by the City Commission, City Charter and applicable laws and ordinances. Fort Meade provides the following municipal services: Finance; Code Enforcement; CRA; Human Resources & Risk Management; Library; Customer Services and Utility Billing; Fire; Public Works including Streets, Stormwater and Parks and Recreation; and Utilities which include Water, Wastewater and Electric; and Utilities Operations and Support. Law Enforcement services are provided by the County Sheriff. The City employs 60 FTE's. The City's current budget is almost $9.3M, of which approximately $5.2 comprises the General Fund.
