Meet the Candidates: Scott Fischer

Editor's Note: The Log will be highlighting each candidate running for office ahead of the March 15 election. The series will begin with the mayoral candidates, then feature those running for city council.

Scott Fischer has worn many hats in his lifetime. He has worked as a newspaper publisher, a deputy coroner, a cold case homicide detective, several civic leadership positions and now hopes to try his hand at serving as Destin’s Mayor.

“I’m used to taking on new jobs and learning new things,” Fischer said when asked why he chose to run for Mayor. “If something happens or goes wrong, I tend to run towards it and not away from it.”

Fischer, originally from Clovis, N.M., spent the early part of his 40-year media career in Fort Walton Beach as publisher of the then Playground Daily News. He married his wife Roxanne in nearby Panama City and raised two daughters on the Emerald Coast.

“When I first moved here in 1972, Fort Walton was just a wide spot in the road, with a couple of restaurants and a very successful fishing industry,” Fischer said. “When I was publisher, I really delved into public activity. I felt as one of my more important duties, as publisher, was to spend time involved in community service. I served on boards and worked in many organizations such as The Salvation Army, Red Cross, Chambers of Commerce and Industrial Development organizations.”

Besides helping to launch the annual Empty Stocking Fund, still carried on by the newspaper today, Fischer helped organize a committee to attract new businesses to the Northwest Florida area.

“One of the accomplishments that I was most proud of was joining with a few folks to help form the Committee of 100, the parent of the Economic Development Committee that has been responsible for bringing a large number of jobs to the area,” he said.

Fischer, now retired, lives with his wife on Holiday Isle and serves as president of the Holiday Isle Improvement Association. In his run for the Mayoral seat, Fischer said he plans to pull from his diverse career and community service background to help propel Destin towards a successful future.

“My campaign is basically the preservation of Destin’s history,” he said. “I think one of our best assets is having that history and I really think this area needs to follow the city’s goals to remain financially sound, and to remain Northwest Florida’s best harbor for fishing, world class beaches and recreation.”

When asked what issues he believes Destin is currently facing, Fischer said that there are a number of challenges he wants to help the city improve.

“Some issues that I became passionate about are protecting the harbor, the pass and the fishing fleet,” he said. “Also the infrastructure, particularly the roads. I think that we need to play to our assets which would be to direct our growth to higher demographics and low density.”

Although as mayor, he will not vote on issues, Fischer said that if elected he will offer leadership, insight and new ideas to the council.

“I’m fully aware that the mayor has no vote, but the mayor is in a perfect position to provide leadership as a figurehead to do what the city council members vote and follow their wishes,” he said. “I do think, at the same time, the mayor can help with direction that Destin needs for the future.”

For more information on Fischer search Scott Fischer for Mayor on Facebook.