Water-Related News

Lakeland hires new public works director

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LAKELAND — DeLand will need to write a want ad.

C. Heath Frederick, the director of DeLand's 47-employee Public Works Department, accepted Lakeland City Manager Tony Delgado's salary offer of $121,288 a year Wednesday to run Lakeland's 264-employee department.

Frederick will fill the vacancy created when the former director, Rick Lilyquist, left Lakeland for Osceola County in November after 17 years leading Lakeland's department of trash, trucks, tar and trusses.

The Department of Public Works covers a wide set of responsibilities including construction and maintenance of roads and buildings, the Solid Waste Division, the storm water utility and management of the city's automotive fleet.