Fort Walton Beach City Manager Jason Davis has announced the launch of a new “Cleanest City on the Emerald Coast” initiative, a comprehensive beautification effort that begins with city-owned properties and expands to community-wide improvements.

• Davis, who has been in his role for a month and a half after coming from South Florida, said the initiative stems from direction from the City Council regarding rebranding the city’s strategic plan.

Drawing from his experience in Palm Beach County, where he witnessed areas that either thrived through proactive planning or declined without proper attention, Davis emphasized the importance of taking action now.

“I think if we start now, we can get ahead of it,” Davis said. “If we don’t, we might start drifting towards some of those South Florida issues.”

The city is beginning with its own facilities, acknowledging that municipal properties need attention before asking residents to participate. Davis pointed to city hall as an example, noting that the building requires significant improvements. The city is currently reviewing its budget proposals to address buildings that need repairs, along with improving mowing contracts, pressure washing, and painting projects.

• “We’re looking at it from every angle we can, whether it’s painting and pressure washing, to whether it’s contracted or in-house,” Davis said.

Community involvement will include programs Davis has used successfully in previous positions, such as adopt-a-road initiatives where city staff will volunteer to maintain road sections. The city plans to address graffiti removal, parking lot cleanups, and potential partnerships with businesses struggling with maintenance.

Davis emphasized that the goal is not to increase code enforcement fines but to encourage voluntary compliance through education and support. The city may offer additional services like extra garbage cans for larger families (to help stop trash overflow debris) or tire donation days to prevent illegal dumping.

“The goal of the program is to make the city prettier,” Davis said. “With a little bit of effort, we can make the City of Fort Walton Beach so much better than it is.”

The city manager believes beautification efforts will not only benefit local tourism and property values, and bring a new sense of community pride. He cited examples from his recent visits to Andalusia, Alabama where community investment in appearance created impressive results.

Future plans may include median improvements, though Davis noted the complexity of coordinating with neighboring jurisdictions that each maintain different standards. He met with county administration to establish quarterly meetings with surrounding communities to potentially coordinate efforts.

Residents can provide input through multiple channels, including the city’s See Click Fix app, calling or emailing the city manager directly, or attending the monthly “Coffee with the City Manager” sessions. The next coffee session is scheduled for August 7 from 8 to 9 a.m. at the library, where Davis plans to discuss the initiative in detail.

• “This is a forever thing,” Davis said about the cleanest city designation. “You start it and you’re just always working towards it.”

Davis brings more than 20 years of public service experience to Fort Walton Beach, including extensive work in Palm Beach County and his background as former Deputy County Administrator for St. Lucie County. He officially began his duties as city manager on June 2, 2025, replacing interim city manager Dennis Reeves.