Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 12

46 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 11 throughout the city with LED lighting. As well, Lake Wales has joined with other municipalities in the region as part of the Polk Regional Water Cooperative to source an alternative water supply, in an effort to ensure an abundant water supply into 2050 and beyond. City Manager James Slaton explains, “Simultaneously, the city is also exploring an opportunity to create our own alternative water supply project. Not that we need it today, but we know that our residents are going to need it in the future. “ Quality education is a priority in the community, where Mayor Fultz describes the charter school system as “the best, bar none.” He notes, “We have students who are communicating with the space station. Our high school has one of the greatest graduation rates you’re going to find among any high schools in the state of Florida. The Lake Wales charter school system has been doing so well that we are receiving visitors from outside of the city and some from out of the state, coming here to see how our system is through the reconstruction we’re doing. We are planting trees in all of our streetscapes across the city.” Cathedral Live Oaks are one variety of trees being planted throughout the city core, as part of the revitalization and the city’s green initiatives. Michael Manning, Assistant to the City Manager, relays, “In our first few Lake Wales Connected redevelopment projects, we have a lot of emphasis on green infrastructure such as rain gardens and pervious pavement so the water can flow right through the street in certain areas rather than being transported to our lakes. Responsible redevelopment utilizing green infrastructure is very important to the City of Lake Wales.” Lake Wales Connected also includes implementation of thousands of different annuals, perennials, and grasses throughout the community. In other sustainability efforts, the city is working to retrofit all streetlights