Fort Walton Beach council prepares for budget workshop on June 16 on services, revenues and city property
Fort Walton Beach, Florida – Fort Walton Beach officials are preparing for a focused budget conversation Tuesday afternoon, with the City Council scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. June 16, 2026, at City Hall, 107 Miracle Strip Pkwy SW.
The workshop is open to the public and centers on the city’s proposed 2026-27 budget. The formal agenda is brief: call to order, discussion of the budget, and adjournment. But the background materials point to a wider conversation about city services, possible cost controls, revenue ideas and the future use of city-owned property.
City staff first announced the workshop during the May 19 council meeting. At that time, officials said the session would give council members a place to discuss budget topics, including the potential outsourcing of certain city services, so those issues could be addressed directly rather than returning repeatedly in later meetings. Council members were also asked to provide agenda topics in advance to the City Manager and City Clerk so the public could be aware of what may be discussed.
By the June 9 meeting and the following day, a list of possible discussion points had been gathered from council members and staff. Those topics include whether certain departments or services should be consolidated, eliminated or reviewed, including sports providers, daycare and aftercare, senior programming, fireworks, concerts, parades, the chamber, economic development, the pool, online billing only, and the library.
Revenue generation is also expected to be part of the discussion, especially in anticipation of possible property tax changes. Ideas listed for review include parking and ramp usage, potentially piggybacking on the county system, creating a possible enterprise fund, charging recreation center fees for residents, studying service rates, and exploring tools such as a fire assessment, MSBU or MSTU.
The council may also review surplus property, with a list of city properties attached to the meeting materials. Other concepts include a public-private partnership model for the library or other sites, fee increases tied to enterprise funds and staffing, and possible cap discussions, including CPI plus 3%, a flat 6%, or a millage cap.
The city notes that discussion items may be acted on by motion and vote under Robert’s Rules of Order, or by council consensus. Anyone who decides to appeal a decision made at the meeting may need a record of the proceedings under F.S. Chapter 286.0105.
Reasonable accommodations are available under the Americans with Disabilities Act with 48 hours’ notice by contacting City Clerk Kim M. Barnes at 850-833-9509 or [email protected]. Meeting videos are available through www.fwb.org.
