Destin council accepts Parks & Recreation committee work plan, asks for annual report

The City of Destin council voted Feb. 2 to accept the Parks & Recreation Committee's 2026 work plan after committee members described volunteer programs, park inspections and fundraising events that they say improve local parks.

Autumn Weidenhammer, chairing the committee, introduced members and outlined a plan that includes an Adopt‑a‑Park program, twice‑annual park inspections with staff follow‑up, Little Free Libraries installations and the return of safety and youth programs such as bike‑helmet distribution. Jessica Julien described outreach efforts and said the committee helped prioritize improvements included in the city’s master plan.

Council members praised the volunteer work and asked the committee to produce an annual report documenting activities and measurable impacts, to demonstrate the committee’s value and help with future funding requests. Council also encouraged the committee to identify two or three top priorities to focus volunteer and staff efforts.

The council voted to accept the work plan (motion, second; vote recorded 5–0). Staff will post the committee’s materials and work plan and will coordinate the requested annual summary for council review.

The committee said many of the activities—hanging vertical oyster gardens, park cleanups and small capital improvements—require minimal direct city funding but benefit from staff coordination and occasional grant support.

The council meeting packet lists related near‑term items including grant applications for turf improvements at Threggil Park and partnership work with Perez Planning on phased park projects. The council did not authorize new budget appropriations at the meeting; next steps focus on tracking the committee’s outcomes and convening follow‑up discussions if additional funding is sought.