Highlands County BCC

Congratulations to our Board of County Commissioners! Three of our Board members were sworn in yesterday for their second terms: Commissioner Kevin Roberts (District 1), Commissioner Scott Kirouac (District 3), and Commissioner Chris Campbell (District 5). We also want to congratulate Commissioner Arlene Tuck (District 4), who was elected the Board chair for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, and Commissioner Don Elwell (District 2), who was elected as vice chair. Thank you to Commissioner Roberts, who served as Board chair this past year. Learn more about your County Commissioners at https://lnkd.in/gfhtD6Gk

James “JD” Langford is the County’s new Assistant County Administrator, and we were proud to present him to the Board yesterday morning! JD began his career with Highlands County in January 2017 when he was hired as the assistant county engineer. He was promoted to county engineer in March 2023. As the assistant county administrator, JD will assist County Administrator Laurie Hurner with keeping the effective operation of the County going, give personal attention to administrative details and special projects, and establish and maintain highly essential and positive communications and working relationships with officials, the public, and County staff. Congratulates JD! We are all excited to see what you will do in your new role!

Today is GIS Day! Over the next month, be sure to visit the impressive Map Expo that GIS staff has put together for our community this year! Dates & Locations: Government Center lobby, Nov. 18-22 (600 S. Commerce Ave., Sebring) Avon Park Public Library, Nov. 25-27 (100 N. Museum Ave., Avon Park) Sebring Public Library, Dec. 2-8 (319 W. Center Ave., Sebring) Lake Placid Memorial Library, Dec. 10-15 (205 W. Interlake Blvd., Lake Placid) The first GIS Day was celebrated in November 1999, and it is traditionally celebrated on Wednesday during Geography Awareness Week, which is the third week in November. At yesterday’s Board meeting, commissioners approved a proclamation recognizing today as GIS Day in Highlands County. GIS Day is a global celebration held each November that highlights the people and technology behind Geographic Information Systems (GIS). It’s an opportunity to recognize the dedicated professionals who use GIS technology to solve real-world problems, making communities safer, smarter, and more connected. GIS (Geographic Information Science) is a technology that helps us understand where things are and how they relate to each other on a map. It lets us collect, analyze, and visualize data tied to locations, so we can see patterns, make better decisions, and solve problems in our community. GIS is used throughout County departments for many different types of uses. For example, staff in the Engineering department use GIS to analyze traffic patterns and plan for future roadway growth. In the Road & Bridge department, staff manage their assets like bridges, pavement, and more in GIS. Additionally, Emergency Management utilizes GIS to always monitor the safety and security of our County, and Public Information uses GIS to share information to the public about all the above!