OKEECHOBEE – Okeechobee County is growing, according to the Okeechobee County Financial Roundup presented to the Okeechobee County Commission at their Aug. 28 meeting by Clerk of Courts and Comptroller Jerry Bryant.

According to the report, major employers (in no particular order) are Okeechobee County School Board, Okeechobee County (including the Sheriff’s Office, Tax Collector, Supervisor of Elections, Property Appraiser, Clerk & Comptroller and Board of County Commissioners), Florida Department of Corrections, Walpole, Charles Industries, HCA Florida Raulerson Hospital, Okeechobee Livestock Market, Okeechobee Health Care, Gilbert Family of Companies, Larson Dairy, McArthur Farms, Charles Industries, Westlake Royal Roofing and TRC Investments.

Principal taxpayers are:

• Florida Power & Light, with 2024 taxes paid of $13,390,179;
• Florida Southeast Connection LLC, $1,376,646;
• Gulfstream Natural Gas System LLC, $670,455
• Florida Gas Transmission, $634,377;
• MHC Okeechobee RV LLC, $441,315;
• Okeechobee Landfill, $466,363;
• Cal-Maine Foods, $360,817;
• Okeechobee Hospital, $350,814;
• Glades Electric Co-Op, $234,756;
• Peoples Gas System, Inc., $231,348.

The report is online https://myokeeclerk.com