IS THIS ONE STEP FORWARD? PCOC LOOKS INWARD FOR LEADERSHIP

The Polk County Opportunity Council, the area's community action agency which provides Head Start and other services, has decided to look inward for it's new Executive Director.

Gary Hartfield, who has been with the agency since last January, was chosen from three finalists (Two others withdrew before Thursday's interviews) . He has served as interim Executive Director for the past six months after the forced resignation of Carolyn Speed.

He has a difficult job in reestablishing an agency whose credibility has been rocked by incompetence by it's previous leadership and the board that hired him. PCOC is under a one year probation from the state Department of Community Affairs, and has seen investigations from DCA and federal agencies regarding it's financial accountability.

We wish him luck. PCOC does do some really good things for the underpriviliged across Polk County, and hopefully Mr. Hartfield will provide the leadership the agency has seriously lacked in recent years.