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Good morning!
The Fort Walton Beach City Council responded the county’s broader speed camera refund request at Tuesday’s meeting. The council declined to take action on a full-time Sheriff’s Office dispatch proposal and identified service areas for review and possible cuts ahead of an upcoming budget workshop. Rotary clubs are expanding the rescue tube project across Okaloosa County beaches, and an inside look at how ECCAC’s Sarah Brock blends storytelling, creativity, and purpose in nonprofit marketing.
HOW I WORK
How ECCAC’s Sarah Brock blends storytelling, creativity, and purpose in nonprofit marketing
“How I Work” is brought to you by the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. Join the most influential organization in Okaloosa. Learn more here.
Sarah Brock relocated to Northwest Florida from Wellington, Florida nearly a decade ago and quickly found herself drawn to both the natural beauty of the area and the opportunity to build a career in storytelling and nonprofit work.
- Today, she serves as Director of Marketing for the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center (ECCAC), helping share the stories of an organization that serves every reported case of child abuse and neglect in Okaloosa and Walton counties.
Her days begin early with coffee, prayer, and time with her rescue pup Phoenix before a commute filled with music or a podcast. At work, no two days look the same, as Sarah might be a videographer, photographer, designer, or writer depending on the project.
Outside of work, she values time with friends and family, her faith, and a deep curiosity about the world, while staying connected to the local business community through organizations like the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.
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GAMES
WordroW: June 11, 2026
WordroW is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
Can you guess today’s 5-letter word in six tries?
WordroW is Get The Coast’s daily word puzzle featuring local words, places, and phrases from our community. You have six guesses to find the mystery word – green letters are correct and in the right spot, yellow letters are in the word but wrong position, and gray letters aren’t in the word at all.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Fort Walton Beach City Council declines to seek full-time Sheriff’s Office dispatch proposal
The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday night against a motion to request a proposal from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office to provide full-time dispatch service for the city.
- Supporters described the request as a fact-finding exercise. Opponents framed it as a premature step that risked eroding city services and staff morale.
Councilman David Schmidt told the council the motion was limited to obtaining a proposal that could be reviewed during the budget process and was not a vote on consolidating dispatch with the county.
“Supporting this motion does not guarantee we’re starting the process to consolidate,” Schmidt said. “There may not be any savings, and I’m the first one to motion it’s done. There may be a savings while making sure we maintain that level of safety.”
Schmidt connected the request to the broader budget context surrounding property tax changes. The motion’s failure means staff will not pursue a written proposal from the Sheriff’s Office at this time. The next major budget conversation is scheduled for the June 16 budget workshop, where the council is expected to take up the broader list of operating sections identified for possible restructuring, outsourcing or cuts.
AMERICA 250
America 250 FREE Drone Show
Okaloosa America 250 is inviting the public to enjoy a one-of-a-kind patriotic drone show at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Rigdon Center and Freedom Tech Center on June 12, 2026.
Parking will be available in multiple locations beginning at 7 p.m. along with a shuttle from the Fort Walton Beach Golf Club. View the map below to view parking and drone show viewing locations.
Tune to 100.3 FM from 7-9 p.m. for event information and music during the drone show. Festivities and food trucks will be available to the public at Freedom Tech Center.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Rotary clubs expand rescue tube project across Okaloosa County beaches
The Rotary Club of Destin has expanded its Public Rescue Tube Project across additional Okaloosa County beaches, partnering with the Rotary Club of Fort Walton Beach to install 17 new rescue tubes at public beach access points on Okaloosa Island.
- The countywide expansion follows the program’s launch at Destin beach accesses in 2025. The two clubs plan to install nine more rescue tubes at James Lee Park in mid-June, bringing the countywide total to 26 new public rescue tubes.
“These rescue tubes have already proven to be a valuable safety resource at Destin beach accesses,” said Rotary project co-chair Dion Moniz. “We were proud to expand the program into more areas of Okaloosa County and help make our beaches safer for both residents and visitors.”
Through partnerships with local businesses, each $500 sponsorship covered the cost of the rescue tube, installation and five years of maintenance. Sponsors received recognition on the rescue tube signage through the inclusion of their company name or logo. Because the effort became a joint project between the Destin and Fort Walton Beach Rotary clubs, a new sign logo incorporating both clubs was created for the expansion.
GAMES
Jigsaw – “Ice Cream”
WordroW is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
Ready for this week’s Jigsaw puzzle?
Each week, we use local pictures from around Okaloosa County as part of our puzzles. They’ll include current dated photos to historical ones. This week…there’s no better time for local ice cream!
BUSINESS
FWB Council identifies service areas for review and possible cuts ahead of workshop
The Fort Walton Beach City Council on Tuesday night identified recreation programs, the city daycare, the library system, surplus property and several other city operations for review at its June 16 budget workshop, as council works to balance next year’s budget under the voter-approved 3% operating cap and the state-level property tax proposals.
- City Manager Jason Davis led the discussion and told the council the city is approximately $500,000 over the operating cap and has roughly $2.7 million in capital projects the general fund cannot currently afford. Finance Director Nicole Nabors confirmed both figures.
Davis said state property tax proposals could cost the city approximately $1.532 million in revenue next year and $2.303 million the following year, with the loss approaching $3 million under a larger exemption scenario. Nabors said the city’s property tax revenue totals approximately $10 million.
“We either cut services, raise millage, combination thereof,” Davis told the council. “That’s where we’re struggling here.”
Davis indicated the city will likely come in with a higher millage rate proposal this year, though no specific rate has been set. He used a hypothetical rate to illustrate that the millage rate is driven by which capital projects the council chooses to fund, telling members that backing off projects would reduce the rate.
WEATHER
Today’s weather outlook
TODAY: Sunny, with a high near 85. South wind 0 to 10 mph.
TONIGHT: Mostly clear, with a low around 77. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
TRAFFIC
Fort Walton Beach City Council responds to county’s broader speed camera refund request
The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to formally respond to Okaloosa County’s April letter on a Hollywood Boulevard school zone speed camera, declining the broader refund the county requested while noting that violations issued after the county’s March 24 resolution have already been refunded.
- Councilman David Schmidt made the motion, which Councilman Bryce Jeter seconded. Schmidt said the response should make clear the city is not refusing to pay anyone back.
“I don’t want it to grow into … that we’re not paying anybody back,” Schmidt said, making it clear that refunds have been issued after the county’s resolution.
According to a memorandum from City Manager Jason Davis, the city’s position is that it has both a 1965 conveyance retaining maintenance obligations and statutory authority under Florida law to operate the camera. The city is under no legal obligation to issue the broader refunds, the memo states.
Separately, Davis told the council that city and county staff have reached a verbal agreement on transferring the disputed stretch of Hollywood Boulevard to the city. A memorandum of understanding will return to both bodies for separate approval.
The camera will remain off until the city and county finalize the road arrangement.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Thursday! Help us shape the future of local news and make a meaningful impact on your community. Click here to learn how you can support us!
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Jared
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124 Eglin Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548