30A Breaking News

Shoal River Timberlands Project: Will Okaloosa Taxpayers Foot the Bill? Staff Reports February 18, 2026 3:31 pm Emerald Coast, Okaloosa County In Brief: Commissioners voted 4–0 to submit a management prospectus for 1,323 acres along the Shoal River. The State would handle the land purchase, but the County could assume long-term management responsibilities. Future costs for staffing, maintenance, and operations remain undefined and may require local funding. Okaloosa County commissioners voted 4–0 this week to submit a county role prospectus for a proposed Shoal River Preserve partnership under the State’s Florida Forever land acquisition program. The vote does not authorize the County to purchase land. Instead, it signals to the State that Okaloosa County is willing to serve as a long-term management partner if Florida Forever acquires 1,323 acres along the Shoal River in northeast Okaloosa County. Florida Forever requested the prospectus by Feb. 25th, as the legislative session — which ends March 13th — will determine whether funding moves forward. If the State completes the purchase, the County would enter into a long-term lease agreement and be required to produce a full management plan under the Florida Administrative Code. That process would include forming a steering committee and complying with state land management standards. County Administrator Craig Coffey framed the proposal as both a conservation opportunity and a strategic move.   “It’s a way to expand their dollars… It’s a way for us to come forward and say, hey, we aren’t just asking you to do something in our backyard.... Read More

The Clock is Ticking For Okaloosa Commissioners on Infrastructure Surtax Staff Reports February 18, 2026 12:42 pm Okaloosa County, State Government In Brief: The current half-cent infrastructure surtax expires December 31, 2028. Commissioners are preparing to place a 10-year extension on the November 2026 ballot. The tax structure, rate, and distribution formula would remain unchanged if approved. The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners is preparing to ask voters whether to extend the half-cent Local Option Infrastructure Surtax for another decade, with a public hearing scheduled for March 3, 2026. County staff seeks approval to advertise and hold the required public hearing to consider an ordinance that would place the surtax renewal on the November 3, 2026, general election ballot. Surtax Set to Expire in 2028 The current 0.5% infrastructure surtax, approved by voters for 10 years, is set to sunset on December 31, 2028. According to county documents, revenue from the surtax has funded completion or active work on all projects originally identified on the county’s Infrastructure Needs List, along with additional projects added over time. If voters approve the renewal in 2026, the surtax would continue for a second 10-year term beginning January 1, 2029. Under Florida law — specifically Section 212.055, Florida Statutes — counties may levy a local government infrastructure surtax only if voters approve it during a general election. The current surtax was approved by voters by a 25 percent margin in 2018. However, the measures failed in the 1990s and 2000s.  What Would Stay... Read More

After Scathing Revelations About Transit Service, Okaloosa Commissioners Sign Off on $1M Contract Fix Christopher Saul February 18, 2026 11:38 am Crestview, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa County In Brief: Okaloosa County commissioners have approved a retroactive amendment to their transit contract that shields roughly $900,000 in state grant funding and may avert a potential million-dollar bill for local taxpayers, while opening the door to sweeping changes in how the county runs its bus system. The Board of County Commissioners voted 4–0 on Tuesday to adopt the Ninth Amendment to its contract with MV Transportation, backdated to November 2019. Commissioner Paul Mixon was absent. Transportation Director Tracy Stage, who took over the transit department just a week ago after its transfer under the airports department upon the departure of Tyrone Parker, told commissioners the change is the first step in cleaning up years of grant and contract missteps identified in an Inspector General’s report. “This will make right roughly $900,000 with the grant funding agency, and we can move forward on other grant issues and financial situations,” Stage said, adding that MV’s leadership “shares every bit of the responsibility” for the oversight problems. Avoiding a Seven-Figure Hit Commission Chairman Trey Goodwin pressed Stage and senior staff to explain the stakes for the public. Stage and County Administrator John Hofstad confirmed that, without FDOT’s willingness to recognize the retroactive amendment, the county risked being found out of compliance with grant rules and forced to repay close to $1 million. Hofstad called... Read More