THE BIG SIX: Log grills Destin City Council hopefuls

With the Jan. 31 elections right around the corner, The Log asked the six candidates running for office to share their thoughts on everything from Destin’s quality of life to their competitors. Here is what challengers Tuffy Dixon, Cyron Marler, Scott “Sky” Monteith, and incumbents Sandy Trammell, Tom Weidenhamer and Jim Wood had to say in their own unedited words.

With a decisive decision to act on beach restoration more than likely coming in the next year, would you support a vote to restore Destin's critically eroded beaches? Why or why not?

Dixon: I absolutely feel we need to restore Destin’s critically eroded beaches.  Our beaches, harbor, fishing fleet and East Pass are what set us apart from other beach communities.  Many property owners have invested a lot of money in condominiums and homes on our beaches. These owners pay a large amount of taxes and contribute to our tourism industry.  However it’s my opinion that once the beaches are restored the public should have a right to use them, within reason. We need to understand money used to restore the beaches are tax dollars and the council has a responsibility to utilize this money wisely.

Marler: Yes, I would support beach restoration and here’s why, first forget about ownership for a minute and think about the economy, property values, jobs and the City as a whole. If we have no beaches for tourist to use & enjoy then we have lost over half of our economic dollars, the rest being from our Fishing Fleet. Without the Tourism industry then we loose Jobs, not just the Hotels & Condos, but it’s a trickle down effect, Restaurants, Shops any thing that caters to the Tourist dollar would be gone.  As they go so does the desire for people to move here to live and work, Then the property values start to go down which means less money for the City to operate on causing roads, parks, & other City/public areas to not be kept up because there is no funds to do it with.  Without a beach the Condos are worthless except for the view, as the Gulf slowly encroaches toward the buildings then they become structurally compromised and then are not livable, so you see we must restore our beaches to keep our City & economy going.

Monteith: Something needs to be done for sure.  Beach nourishment, due to its cost, is a solution that has been used primarily for the benefit of the tourism industry.  As a result of erosion Miami Beach had almost no stored sediment left by the mid 1970s, consequently, visitor numbers declined and development of the area decreased. A beach nourishment program was setup resulting in an influx of development and infrastructure in the late 1970s. Miami Beach was rejuvenated to such an extent that annual revenue from foreign tourists alone is $2.4 billion, compared to the $52 million cost of the 20-year nourishment project. Tax revenue from tourists who visit Miami Beach alone more than covers the cost of beach nourishment projects across the nation. Using the capitalized annual cost of the project, for every $1 that has been invested annually on the nourishment, Miami Beach has received almost $500 annually in foreign exchange.  So without the pertinent data for Destin I cannot yet say what the cost would be, however we cannot go into debt.  Development on the beach must also re-examine because this is the root problem.

Trammell: I would definitely support restoring Destin's critically eroded beaches.  I support the "opt out" program as a personal choice for each land owner however I would like to see the total area renourished as it would make the
renourished beach last longer.

Weidenhamer: I support beach restoration for those who want it. Some beachfront property owners want desperately to have the beach restored in front of their property to both protect the buildings and provide beach front recreation for our numerous tourists. Other property owners feel that their buildings are adequately protected and do not want to participated in the restoration.  While beach restoration is best and more permanent when all properties along a certain stretch of beach participate, I would favor letting those property owners who do not want to participate opt out and do the restoration for those properties that desire it. The money for this restoration must come from some source other than the City of Destin general fund.

Wood: I plan to support the project. My support is based on the overall economic impact of doing the project versus not doing it.  I do have a few details that could affect my final vote:

How would you grade Destin and city leaders on their mission to "carefully and proactively balance quality of life for residents and visitors, while preserving the city's heritage and environment?"

Dixon: I think every current city council member votes for what they see as best for all concerning our heritage and environment.  Destin has such a rich heritage that has been well preserved through our fishing museum, fishing fleet and our harbor. We have done a pretty good job preserving some of Destin’s unique charm.  Our true heritage is our fishing fleet, the largest in the state, and we need to do everything within our power to preserve it.  With government fishing regulations spinning out of control and declining property values our fishermen are being driven out of business.  The fishermen have my utmost respect and if we are not careful the people and business that made Destin what it is today could disappear.

Marler: At present I would say a B +, I say this only because I feel that it took too long to get the Harbor Boardwalk project started. Too much time was spent on the small stuff that could have been worked out as work began, two months were lost that could have possibly had the project finished sooner the April 1^st deadline. However in the long run once completed, it will showcase our Harbor, which is our Heritage and bring our visitors to the harbor to see our beginnings, then our harbor is not just a place to see, it will be the place to be. Also they have done a great job of taking care of our citizens needs in creating a Dog Park, cleaning and up grading our parks, a new parking area on the harbor, fixing up our City Hall and finally getting the solid waste issue resolved.  So I guess I will move my grade to an A - .

Monteith: That’s a joke or what?  They fail.  If they were doing well I wouldn’t be in the race.

Trammell: I think we've done a very good job of carefully and proactively balancing the quality of life for residents and visitors.  We could put more emphasis on the City's Heritage and environment.  We will see more emphasis on our
Heritage with the completion of the boardwalk along the Harbor. Environmentally, we need to promote a recycling program across the board in businesses and residents alike. Another area to address environmentally is
identifying and removing "Nuisance trees and plants" like popcorn trees etc. Each and every landscaping improvement done by the City should be reviewed for compliance with our Tree Ordinance. Progress in the Multi-modal efforts will also improve the environment.

Weidenhamer: I believe that during the past year that Destin and city leaders have upheld this mission by working with a volunteer group and approving and building a dog park for the benefit of permanent residents and as an attraction for visitors, by getting approval from harbor front property owners to proceed with construction of the harbor boardwalk which will provide an opportunity for both residents and visitors to enjoy the heritage of our fishing fleet, by clearing the old buildings from the Marler Street parking lot to provide additional parking for harbor front activities such as the heritage seafood festival which is attended by both residents and visitors, and by providing for the Clean City Initiative which makes sure that all residents and visitors have appropriate means to dispose of unwanted items. The quality of life issues for our permanent residents have always been my number one concern.

Wood: I would give us an overall B. It is a tough mission statement. The diverse customer base of full time residents (as counted in the 2010 Census), out of town property owners, business owners, some who reside in Destin and some who do not, and visitors from all areas that we draw from present as multiplicity of issues and desires for Destin. In my view the fill time resident of Destin, many who are retired and on fixed incomes are many times overlooked in the desire to cater to the money from visitors. At the same time, we have to realize that we are a tourism community. Our initiatives on the harbor have shown our commitment to preserving our fishing roots by providing assets that will increase and improve traffic along the harbor. Environmentally, we have done well to keep our city clean and our latest Waste Management Contract should continue that success.       

As Norriego Point continues to shrink, what do you see as the long-term fix to our problem with the pass?

Dixon: Norriego Point is an issue I feel should have already been taken care of by now.  I realize many complicated questions need to be addressed about stabilizing this point. At the December 19^th city council meeting, the council voted to move forward with a plan to armor Norriego Point. I commend the present city council for this vote, which may allow the city to apply for grant funding.   We should extend the point to provide the most protection possible.  Having grown up here I remember the point being much longer.  My preference would be rocks, as the jetties look great to me and have needed very little maintenance even after the worst storms.

Marler: It is not just a long term issue that we should worry about it is the immediate problem that should be dealt with first then it can be fixed permanently. The immediate solution would be to dredge the area where it is shoaling again, but with the right type of equipment then place rocks and boulders where we want the point to be, I am not an engineer but that is what a few have told me. Above all this needs to be fast tracked now, we have been hashing this out for more than 2 years, we could have already gotten approval with all the agencies involved by now, and possibly already had it fixed or close to being fixed.  We have had engineers, blue ribbon panels, private citizens, more engineers and three to four hour merry go round meetings but no work done. It is time to act even if we must have the Governor push this thru it must be done now. Then the long term solution can be put in place and what that will be I do not know again I say I am not an engineer, and I leave that to them to tell council what is the best way to fix it then council should find the money some where vote yes and get it done and stop trying to be engineers.

Monteith: It needs widening and should be part of the beach restoration project because here again we are talking about moving the sand around and the disturbance of the natural ecosystem here, due to development, is the root cause.

Trammell: First, we need to look carefully at the plan finalized by CPE firm.  I think we (Council) have asked for a top of the line fix that we cannot possible afford.  I do not agreed with the sheet pile wall with rock.  I think the current t-groins are working and we should spend the money we have creating the rest of them and reinforcing the current ones.  These groins have sustained the beach and allowed for recreation while experiencing 10 wind events in 10 years!!  That is a once in a lifetime scenario and the ones completed are still there and working well. T-groins are the least intrusive, fastest way to securely stabilize the point while allowing for the most recreation.  If we are keeping the environment in mind, t-groins are far better for all involved than a complete rock bunker 8 feet high.

Weidenhamer: The long-term fix to Norriego Point is in the final engineering design stage. Once this plan has been solidified, the search for funding this $7 to $10 million project will need to begin. This may require phasing the implementation of the final solution as funding sources become available.

Wood: The approved Norriego Point Stabilization Project is about as long term a solution as we will be able to do.  Currently there is no funding for this project. Hopefully funding will come from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) funds as part of the BP Oil Spill environmental restoration fund.  There are still details to work out, but some kind of armoring to control erosion of the point should provide long-term protection to the area. It is critical to understand that even with the armoring of the point, dredging of both the east pass and mouth of the harbor will continue, hopefully less often, especially regarding the mouth of the harbor. As we refine the details of the project, it is critical to come to agreement on the goals of the project (protection versus recreation etc.). My goal is to lean towards protection. The ultimate Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) permitted plan will undoubtedly be affected by both County and State desires that may lean in a more recreational and aesthetically pleasing direction. 

How would you suggest that the city of Destin trim its already shrinking budget while still maintaining the services and quality of life that residents expect?

Dixon: As for maintaining the level of services while dealing with a shrinking budget, I feel the city needs to prioritize it’s spending. The city pays a lot for consultants and pays a lot in attorney fees. My goal would be to not use outside consultants unless it’s absolutely necessary and concentrate on projects we have a real chance of completing.  We also may need to direct the city manager to reevaluate the duties of city staff members and combine duties until we can afford to do differently. I have been impressed with the city staff and know they are already stretched thin but we can only do what finances allow. I hope that the property values will soon rebound creating funds to help us make our great city even better. 

I am impressed with the new city manager and think she has the skill and ability to run the day-to-day operations of our city in the most cost effective manner.  My vow would be to evaluate every item that comes before the council for its financial feasibility and what it would mean to our citizens and visitors.

Marler: There is really not much left to trim, I believe that the city has cut and trimmed back as much as it can with out cutting in to the level of service. Yes there is talk about our own police force, but lets get real if we want the same level of service or better then what the sheriff’s office provides with our contract then we must pay the price, second hand equipment and low pay for men and women to put there life on the line so we can sleep safe at night will not do, that would be like sending our military in to battle with World War II equipment. It is the same for all areas of our city services the less you spend the less service you will be able to have.  It is like losing weight you want to lose a few pounds so you cut back on your intake, but if you do not maintain your body with the right foods or exercise you start to look run down, you are losing the weight but you are also losing your healthy look and attitude. And that is what will happen if we trim the budget too much, the city will lose its Look and luster and will therefore short change its citizens of what they deserve.

Monteith: If the city accepts my plan for police and trash services we would save $500,000.00 ca. and increase the quality of said services.

Trammell: I think we have done an excellent job of "trimming the fat" within the city to ensure that services are well maintained.  I personally think that we can do more with less if we approach projects as we did with the "Dog Park".  We
have many volunteer committees and if we empower them to find creative ways of funding projects identified and give them the "go ahead" to follow through with the fund raising, we will see wonderful enhancements throughout
our community. We are blessed to have such a supportive community we just need to channel that philanthropy to fit the identified needs of our city. This would enhance the growth, create and exceptional quality of life while
leaving enough funding in our current budget to meet the needs currently identified.

Weidenhamer: The city of Destin has done an excellent job of right sizing to fit the funding available. The contract with the Sheriff’s department for extra Destin police protection has been reduced for the coming year and capital projects funded from the general fund have been postponed. The normal services that residents expect from the city are being provided in an effective manner with only certain capital projects being postponed until the funding provided by property taxes improves. Those capital projects funded by sales tax receipts and developer impact fees are proceeding as planned.

Wood: This is a tough question. Where is the cut line between that what residents expect in services versus the taxes they are willing to pay? We have not reached the tipping point yet. Our recent budget cutting over the last four years has been pretty much transparent to residents. Future cuts will have to be made in a carefully balanced way to ensure that what we want is maintained while at the same time cutting costs. Unless we do an across the board cut, there are only so many big-ticket items that can be cut (CIP Projects, Sheriff’s Contract, four versus five day work week etc). I will venture to say that if there are significant cuts, we will begin to see and feel them.  Government is of, by and for the people and if the citizens say cut, I will cut until I am told by those same citizens to stop as long as we do not compromise the health, security and safety of our city as a whole.              

With January's election nearing, what makes you a better fit for city councilman compared to the other candidates?

Dixon: I feel the present city council members have always voted for what they think is best for Destin.  During my time as Fire Chief of the Destin Fire Control District, I worked closely with city, county and state governments and I worked hard to make sure the fire department supported the business community.  Living in Destin my entire life has allowed me to understand the challenges we face.  During my 32+ years working for the Destin Fire Control District and the last 19+ years as the fire chief, I have worked to help make Destin a safer and better place to live. If I’m honored by the people to be elected, I will never forget who put me there and will always listen to their concerns and never take their vote for granted.

Marler: That’s a very good question, since 1996 I have spent almost 16 years in our city government. Two terms as a council member 2000 to 2008 and two separate terms on various council advisory committees 1996 to 2000 and 2008 to the present. I stay well informed of what is going on in our city and I have attended 99 percent of the council meeting since leaving office in 2008. If elected I can hit the ground running and get right in to taking care of business. My life is an open book and past decisions I made while serving on council are a matter of public record for all to see.  I am honest, hard working, trust worthy and believe in doing what is right for all citizens and not just a few. I will work for you the citizens of Destin not for my employer or myself but for you. I am a blue collar, middle-income citizen of the wonderful city of Destin, I was born here, I work here and I intend to live out my life here. My desire is to serve my Lord and the citizens of Destin and I hope you will give me the opportunity to serve you for the next four years.

Monteith: I cannot say I am better for the city than the other “candidates” because I have not seen them in action.  I’m in because the incumbents need to go.  The words “we (the council) can do what we want” will never cross my lips. I promise to have an attitude of gratitude for my servitude.

Trammell: Experience, honesty and a willingness to listen to new/different points of view and be able to see both sides to the issue.  I am willing and able to work long hours to achieve a goal. 
My goal has always been to make & keep Destin a world-class community and I work to insure we don't accept less. I often think outside the box and look for creative ways to accomplish goals.  I enjoy working with others and strive to form consensus for the good of the whole. Creating volunteer training along with the City Staff to train our seated volunteer committees to write and achieve goals not just be an opinion committee has been a project I am very proud of. A perfect example of the outcome of such training is our "Dog Park" Envisioned, designed, paid for and implemented by volunteers with the assistance of City Staff. Serving on County Committees should be expected and is necessary to ensure
Destin Residents gets their fair share. I currently serve on the Library co-operative board and have served on the Okaloosa-Walton TPO and NWF Regional TPO (Vice-Chair). I am also currently chair of the two Community
Redevelopment Agencies I am one of the few Councilors who have lobbied in Tallahassee on a variety of issues and insisting that we not lose our "Home Rule." I Love all of Destin and I'm here to serve everyone not just some special
interest groups.

Weidenhamer: I believe that I have excellent qualifications for Destin City Council since my wife Nancy and I became homeowners and business owners in Destin in 1990. We have owned and operated SOS Printing in Destin for over 21 years.

I have been involved with the following civic and city organizations:

Member of the Destin City Council for the past four years

President of the Board of Directors for Destin Water Users

Member of the Board of Directors for the Destin Community Land Trust

Past member of the Destin City Council appointed Attainable Workforce Housing Committee

Past member of the Destin City Council appointed Harbor District CRA Advisory Committee

Past President and current member of the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of FWB

Past member of the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida Region

Chairman of the Finance Committee for Corpus Christi Parish in Destin

I believe that my participation on the Destin City Council and the other various boards and committees has given me a good insight into various ways to approach the solution to a variety of situations and to work effectively and harmoniously with others to achieve a good end result.

Wood: I am a law-abiding member of our city who believes strongly in leadership and specifically by leading by example. I have actively sought leadership responsibility in the community. I stand for one thing about all else: honest and responsible government.

My military training gives me an understanding of a detailed decision making process that I believe give me an advantage in analyzing multiple courses of action. 

I am a fiscal conservative who clearly understands the ramifications of spending or not spending money. As a current retiree, I understand the financial issues faced by residents who live on a fixed income. As that same military retiree, I save the citizens of Destin approx. $10K in healthcare insurance cost.  I also do not request reimbursement for the mileage associated with local area government functions I attend on behalf of the city.  I also as do my fellow Councilors.

I spend inordinate amounts of time researching issues (doing my homework) all in the attempt to get issues right as possible.