Community

Year of the Local

March 8, 2026

By Tamara L. Young, PhD, Public Information Director for the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village

This time, Mayor Bobby Wagner and I sat down and talked about his State of the City Address. He led with highlights from last year and finished with hope for this coming year.

TY: In previous years, you’ve touched upon resiliency, infrastructure and parks. Describe your SOCA theme that you recently shared on February 17, 2026.

BW: This year’s theme is “Year of the Local.” Bekah and I traveled through the Northeast on our honeymoon, and I got to walk places where the Revolutionary War era literally happened. It reminded me how much can change when everyday people decide to own their community. That is the spark behind this theme. While the City keeps pushing the big projects, I want to rally a grassroots spirit in Destin: small wins, cleaner corners, and more neighborly acts. A local renaissance, for locals, by locals, with locals.

TY: You referenced a number of impressive City wins in 2025, including departmental statistics, public projects, and behind-the-scenes work that most people never think about or realize. It boils down to high but realistic expectations and more action and less talk.

BW: I’m proud of the progress, and I’m even more focused on momentum. We are continuing to move the ball on the work residents care about most: mobility and safety, infrastructure like undergrounding where possible, parks and quality of life, and long-range planning like Town Center and Harbor priorities. But “action not talk” also applies outside City Hall. Some of the fastest wins come when neighbors decide, “Let’s fix this,” and they do it together.

TY: It was nice to see the City Annex full that night with interested residents listening to the State of the City Address. How would you categorize the crowd?

BW: It was a great crowd, but more importantly it was an engaged crowd. People were asking thoughtful questions, sharing ideas, and leaning in. That kind of participation is a really good sign because it shows Destin is not sitting on the sidelines. People want to help shape what’s next.

TY: What takeaways are you hoping for?

BW: Two things. First, the City is working and the big projects are real, even when they take time. Second, you don’t need a title to improve Destin. My hope is that this becomes a year where we all do something local every month: pick up litter, beautify a corner, improve the neighborhood sign, and support a local business. If enough of us do that, we’ll feel the difference fast, and we’ll be proud that we built it together.