Most Viewed Stories
- COLUMN: The both of best worlds: Foreign worker’s tragic death hits home
- COPTER CLAMOR: Residents up in arms over proposed helicopter tours near Kelly Plantation
- RON HART: Biden his time and doing Obama’s bidding
- COLUMN: Community parenting and a party in the park
- Destin Dog Park wins Community of Excellence Award
Decision 2012: Come meet the city council candidates
What tough questions should The Log pose to the candidates at the forum? Mail the editor at williamh@thedestinlog.com or post a comment to this story below. You can also post questions to our Facebook page at facebook.com/thedestinlog. Also grab a copy of Saturday’s paper for a Q&A with the candidates.
To read about the incumbents who are running, click here.
It's easy to complain about local government.
Just listen to some of these rants that one finds from residents online:
"Destin was ... Destin will never be ... Destin is done!"
"Everything they do tarnishes the luster of our emerald gem. PERIOD.”
“The only thing this city ponders is how to spend the most money.”
“Vote the bums out.”
This perpetual hand-wringing is nothing new. Many people contend that paradise is lost, but are they willing to do something about it?
Three incumbents, two newcomers and a former councilmen are doing more than complaining in the run-up to city elections on Jan. 31. And nothing less than the future of Destin is at stake. With four seats available, a majority voting bloc is up for grabs on the seven-member council.
And with a score of pressing issues ranging from a lagging economy to beach restoration to harbor redevelopment, do you know which candidates are aligned with your viewpoints?
Well, now is your chance to find out.
The Chamber of Commerce and The Destin Log are sponsoring a forum Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Destin City Hall Annex on Two Trees Road from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to help voters determine which candidate should steer the ship of city. Audience members will even have the opportunity to ask wannabe councilors for their opinions on the pressing issues of the day.
In a time of presidential horse racing, it's easy to lose sight of the city council sprint. But as former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill once said, "all politics is local," and that means your elected city officials stand a much better chance of impacting your life on a daily basis than some suit in the Oval Office.
So here it is: Decision 2012. Will you give in to the bitterness or discover who will be your agent of change?
