Destin renews PAWS contract; Mary Esther hesitates amid stability concerns

In Brief:

🐶 Destin renews its $92K contract with PAWS
⚖️ Mary Esther delays decision amid financial concerns
📄 Officials seek stricter oversight before signing

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DESTIN — While the City of Destin renewed its annual agreement with the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) without discussion Monday night, neighboring Mary Esther spent a little bit longer during their meeting on Oct. 6 debating whether the same nonprofit can still deliver reliable animal control services.

Destin’s council approved a $92,761.50 service agreement with PAWS as part of its consent agenda, matching Okaloosa County’s $6.50-per-capita rate and maintaining the city’s current level of service. The new contract, billed monthly at $7,730.12, covers the city’s population of 14,271 and continues a relationship that has spanned more than 15 years.

A budget amendment was included to shift roughly $7,700 from the general fund to meet the higher rate approved for fiscal year 2026.

“Animal control is an integral service provided for the residents of Destin,” a staff report stated, noting that the negotiated rate “is in alignment with the per-capita cost for Okaloosa County.”

In contrast, Mary Esther’s council took no action Monday after a lengthy discussion over whether to renegotiate with PAWS or model a new agreement after the county’s version, which includes stricter provisions on animal welfare standards, financial transparency, and recordkeeping.

Mary Esther City Manager Jared Cobb stated that PAWS abruptly terminated its contract with Mary Esther on June. 10, prompting the city to explore alternative options.

No viable short-term alternatives were identified by early July, and the county’s new deal, approved in August, now serves as the benchmark for any future negotiations.

“There weren’t really any great options, frankly, for our area,” Cobb told the council.

The draft contract offered to Mary Esther mirrors Destin’s per-capita rate of $6.50, or $26,546 annually, for a population of 4,084. Still, it includes a clause that could make the city liable for paying off equipment leases if the contract is terminated early.

City Attorney Hayward Dykes said the proposed language gave him “heartburn.”

Council members questioned PAWS’s financial stability, citing the nonprofit’s public struggles and suggesting the city consider only a short-term agreement if negotiations move forward.

“I do not believe that they are healthy enough to sustain, even to be in business for the next 12 months,” said Councilmember April Sutton. “At best, I’d be willing to entertain a three- to six-month max contract with them.”

Others agreed the Okaloosa County contract should serve as a model, describing it as a “tight” agreement with stronger audit and transparency provisions.

Cobb and Dykes have been instructed to revise the terms and resubmit the proposal for review.