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💰 $60 million in budget requests highlight critical needs across elections, public safety, and corrections as Okaloosa County plans for FY2026.
🚔 The county jail is operating 25% over capacity, prompting new officer training initiatives and long-term facility planning.
🏖️ Tourism revenue topped $2.2 billion, funding lifeguards, law enforcement, and a planned study for a new convention center.
SHALIMAR — Okaloosa County commissioners reviewed more than $60 million in departmental requests during their final fiscal year 2026 budget workshop on July 22, hearing updates and funding appeals from the county’s elections, health, public safety, corrections, and tourism departments.
Leaders cited challenges ranging from overcrowded jails and unfunded state mandates to lifeguard shortages, opioid overdoses, and surging off-season tourism.
County Administrator John Hofstad opened the workshop by confirming the proposed rollback of the Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU), a tax applied to the unincorporated areas of Okaloosa County, from a millage rate of 2.29 to 2.288 mills.
Hofstad noted the county is still waiting on updated revenue-sharing numbers from the state, and that new Florida Retirement System (FRS) contribution rates have already been factored into the budget.
Okaloosa Health Department Administrator Beth Smith requested an increase of $35,000 in county support for fiscal 2026, citing expanded responsibilities and timing gaps in environmental health fee collection.
The department’s total budget is $11 million, with $696,827 requested from the county, which is approximately 6.4% of the total. The bulk of county funds go toward salaries, with additional support for contracted services and outreach expenses.
Smith reported that her office assumed operation of the Healthy Start program after the previous provider’s contract expired and that the state transferred oversight of body art and tattoo parlor permitting to the local office.
“It helps us keep a better handle on what’s going on,” Smith said.
Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux warned commissioners of a $300,000 shortfall in the current fiscal year due to multiple state-mandated special elections.
We will be reimbursed by the state, but the county must carry those costs up front,” Lux said.
The Supervisor of Elections’ FY26 general fund budget totals $1,999,131, a 3.3% increase from FY25, plus an additional $694,168 for election-year costs, representing a 15% rise in operational needs.
The elections office is also grappling with a 1,040% increase in software costs — rising to $142,405 — tied to implementation of Clear Ballot, a post-election audit system expected to be mandated statewide.
Postage costs are projected to jump to $71,440 due to a new law requiring confirmation letters for all petition signers.
Lux also said the office will redesign its website after the current vendor failed during election night results reporting.
“Their fix was to tell us to go find another vendor,” he added.
Cybersecurity grants that once funded participation in the Elections Infrastructure ISAC have been eliminated. “All of those costs now fall to the state or the county,” Lux said.
Despite financial pressures, Lux emphasized the county’s elections are secure and effective.
“Our equipment is working. We don’t have to replace any voting systems this year,” Lux said. “But the mandates are getting expensive.”
Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox detailed a high-performing year across his departments, including Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Beach Safety, and the Beach Park Ranger Program.
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) received a significant infrastructure and technology overhaul in FY25, totaling over $600,000 in improvements. This included upgraded monitors, large-format digital displays, enhanced server capacity, and extensive cabling work.
Emergency Management also provided logistical and operational support for an unusual January snow event and collaborated with Eglin Air Force Base during a UXO (unexploded ordnance) response.
Maddox also highlighted the rollout of Florida Recovery Obligation Calculation (F-ROC), a real-time cost documentation system for disaster recovery.
“We used it for Hurricane Idalia and the snowstorm,” Maddox said. “It lets us get FEMA reimbursements faster.”
Chief Rich Huffnagle, who leads Beach Safety, reported 37 rip current rescues, 203 medical calls, and 86 lost children, all of whom were safely reunited with their guardians.
Huffnagle’s team also conducted over 850,000 preventative actions and launched a new educational campaign called “Buddy on the Beach,” which helps describe safety information to children.
The Beach Park Ranger Program, staffed by just two full-time rangers and a seasonal team, made more than 50,000 educational contacts, 17,000 ordinance-related interactions, and handled over 2,500 vendor engagements in beach park areas.
They’re enforcing, but they’re also educating,” Maddox said, as the rangers often assist with significant events, crowd control, and code enforcement in some instances.
EMS Chief Darrell Welborn reported 35,423 calls for service and 25,427 billable transports last year. Field personnel achieved return of spontaneous circulation in 28% of cardiac arrest cases, exceeding national benchmarks.
“Fifty-four out of 56 patients who received field blood transfusions survived,” Maddox added.
The Community Paramedic Program contacted 149 overdose survivors and 72 family members, while launching Quick Reaction Vehicle-2 in Dorcas. The division also reduced the number of vacancies to just five paramedics.
Okaloosa EMS earned the American Heart Association’s Lifeline Gold Plus Award and is preparing for reaccreditation.
Corrections Director John Morring reported the Okaloosa County Jail is operating at approximately 25% above its rated capacity, with an average daily population of 728 inmates in a facility designed for 594 beds.
“We’re housing over 130 people more than we should be,” Morring said. “We do what we can with the space, but it adds wear and tear — you’re doing laundry for 700 people three times a day.”
In fiscal year 2024, the jail processed 6,985 admissions and accounted for 241,535 inmate days in prison. By June 15, 2025, the department had already admitted 4,743 individuals, totaling more than 114,000 jail days with three months remaining in the year.
Morring said officers conduct approximately 30 inmate reclassifications per week, responding to behavioral needs, security threats, or disciplinary segregation. Additionally, the jail’s transportation unit made more than 2,250 trips to court, 258 to state prisons, 184 to medical appointments, and 52 under the Baker Act or other mental health concerns.
Staffing remains a significant concern. Between FY24 and FY25, the department hired 31 certified officers but lost 38 to resignations or retirements. “We’re having to hire and train constantly just to keep pace,” Morring said.
To help address the workforce challenge, the jail continues to expand its Corrections Cadet Program, training non-certified staff into full-time certified officers. Eight new cadets are scheduled for academy enrollment this fall. “We’ve had 100% pass rates,” Morring said.
Morring also highlighted inmate programming aimed at reducing recidivism, including:
Food and medical costs remain relatively low. In response to a question from Commissioner Sherri Cox, Morring said the average food cost per inmate is $1.68 per day, and all prescriptions are filled within 24 hours.
Deputy County Administrator Jason Autrey said planning for a long-term solution is underway.
“We’re about 80% complete with the master plan for a new 2,000-bed phased facility,” Autrey said. “It’s one of the county’s largest and most important capital projects.”
Tourism Director Jennifer Adams said Okaloosa County generated $2.2 billion in direct visitor spending last year, despite a five percent dip in tourism. The sector contributed more than $32 million in bed tax revenue, enabling a broad range of public safety and marketing investments without relying on property taxes.
Adams reported that off-season visitation increased 19% from the previous year, a metric driven by new outreach campaigns targeting international travelers. The department is also focusing on small group meetings, sports tourism, and family-oriented activities through its ‘Little Adventures’ campaign, which has generated more than 2 million video views and 750,000 website sessions.
The FY26 tourism budget totals $45.2 million, with $25.6 million allocated to department operations and marketing, and $3.33 million to directly support public safety services. Lifeguard coverage includes:
The department also funds $857,000 for marine law enforcement and contributes to beach renourishment, visitor services, code enforcement, and capital improvements.
A major upcoming initiative is the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a feasibility study on building a multi-use convention center, aimed at strengthening off-season visitation and reducing economic seasonality.
“We’re looking for a facility that brings in events between October and March,” Adams said
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