DESTIN — The race for Walton County Commissioner in District 4 is already underway, and Destin City Council member Jim Bagby has emerged as an early and active prospective candidate.

Bagby, who will complete his final term on the Destin City Council next year, said he plans to establish residency in Walton County before the 2026 election and believes his decades of professional experience across the region qualify him to help guide its future.

Three possible candidates are exploring campaigns for the southern Walton County seat, which spans from Miramar Beach to the east side of Destin. Bagby told Mid Bay News that his interest in running is driven by what he described as a need for stronger long-term planning, a renewed focus on residents and better strategic economic development.

“I just think we can do better,” Bagby said, explaining that his more than 20 years of work in Walton County have shaped his understanding of the county’s strengths and challenges.

He said his time serving in local government, managing major community organizations and working closely with residents gives him familiarity with both the southern and northern ends of the county.

Early Ties to Walton County

Bagby is a West Point graduate and retired Army officer whose military career took him across the United States, far from his hometown of Starrville in East Texas.

He and his wife, Jennie, have two adult daughters. Bagby said his first introduction to Walton County came in 1977 while he was stationed in Huntsville, Alabama.

“I’d heard about this wonderful place to vacation,” he said, describing how curiosity led him to Grayton Beach. He recalled camping at Grayton Beach State Park and waking up to a foggy morning where he “could only see about 100 yards in either direction.”

Walking to the beach, he said, he found himself entirely alone. “You could swim out 100 yards and still see the bottom,” Bagby said. That moment convinced him that the Emerald Coast was where he wanted to retire.

Professional Roles Across Walton County

After retiring from the Army, Bagby began a second career in Walton County.

His first civilian job was as town manager of Rosemary Beach, a position he held for more than a decade. He later served about two and a half years with the Tourism Development Council and eventually became general manager of One Seagrove Place.

He said those roles provided him with extensive experience in both residential and tourism-driven communities, as well as insight into how planning, zoning, infrastructure, and development pressures affect the county.

“We Can Do Better”: A Central Theme

Bagby said his desire to run for county commission stems from a concern that long-term vision has diminished in local government. He pointed to the Board of County Commissioners of the mid-1990s as a group he considered especially forward-thinking.

“That was a group of visionary leaders,” Bagby said. “They installed the planning that was further developed into Walton County as we know it.”

He said he does not see the same level of long-term foresight today.

“People don’t look around and think, ‘What do we want this place to look like 30 years from now?'” he said. “I have a vision of what I want it to look like.”

Diversifying the Local Economy

Much of Bagby’s vision centers on economic diversification. He said tourism will always anchor the county’s economy, especially in the south of the bay, but insisted that long-term growth requires a broader industry.

“We’re always going to have tourism,” Bagby said. “But we need some industry north of the bay, and we need something that brings our kids and grandkids back here other than just to retire.”

Bagby said too many young adults raised in Walton County leave and never return.

“I think we can set the conditions for that to happen,” he said, meaning a community where young families can live, work, and thrive.

He described tourism as the “front door” of the county. Visitors who come here for vacation, he said, often say, “I could live here.” He wants them to say, “I can move my business here.”

Because so many companies today operate on information-based systems rather than physical manufacturing, Bagby said opportunities for relocation are more feasible than ever.

“There’s a lot we can do to bring business here,” he said.

Continuing A Life of Public Service

Bagby said his decision to run did not come quickly. He has been attending county commission and TDC meetings consistently for the past year.

With his term in Destin set to end next November due to term limits, he said he still wants to serve in government.

“I’ve been involved in Destin since we moved here in ’99,” he said. “But I’ve always thought of Walton County as where we would end up.”

The only reason his family did not move to Walton County earlier, he said, was that his daughters were in middle school at the time he began working in Rosemary Beach.

Bagby was asked about fellow District 4 hopeful James Calkins, who recently announced a platform that highlights traffic, storm resilience, public safety, and lower taxes.

“First, I agree with James—maybe not on his priorities,” Bagby said. He supports keeping taxes low, but pointed out that maintaining the same millage rate does not necessarily keep taxes down if property values rise.

“If the value of your home goes up, the tax assessment goes up as well,” he said. He added that he would like to see the state consider significantly increasing the homestead exemption—possibly quadrupling it.

“Citizens First, Not Developers”

One of Bagby’s central messages is that county government should reprioritize residents over developers.

“Our priorities are out of order,” he said. He believes county processes are currently more accessible to developers, who employ attorneys, architects and engineers familiar with the land development code. “I’ve seen them teach our staff the codes,” he said.

Meanwhile, ordinary citizens who want to build a pole barn or place a manufactured home on their property face layers of hurdles. “We don’t make it easy for the people who live right here,” Bagby said.

“Developers shouldn’t have priority over our citizens.”

Infrastructure: Beach Protection and Underground Utilities

Bagby said that aside from its people, Walton County’s beach is its most valuable asset. “Let’s nourish the beach,” he said, calling nourishment a top priority.

He also said undergrounding utilities is essential, especially in evacuation zones closest to the beach. “Start right at the beach, where infrastructure is most prone to damage,” Bagby said.

He agreed that traffic is a significant issue, but said he does not support building additional roads as the solution.

As a longtime city council member, Bagby has repeatedly expressed support for term limits. He said fresh leadership encourages new ideas and prevents officials from remaining in office for decades.

“I want to bring back stability in government,” he said.

Stability stems from collaboration among elected officials, staff, and community leaders, as well as from a culture that encourages public servants to engage regularly with residents.

Bagby described beach nourishment as a complicated and polarizing issue. He said one group of residents opposes nourishment out of concern that imported sand will alter the unique appearance of the beaches. Another group focuses on legal and regulatory hurdles, particularly concerning private beachfront property.

He acknowledged that nourishment has historically been a politically sensitive issue. “It’s an issue that has even caused candidates to lose elections,” Bagby said.

The county’s existing nourishment project, from Four Mile Village to the Okaloosa County line, uses sand, he said, that is similar to that in Rosemary Beach. He noted that after the 2004 and 2005 storms, some communities had to use sand “that was absolutely worse” than ideal.

“I want a nourishment project, and I want the best sand we can find,” he said. Bagby added that the county currently lacks internal expertise in nourishment management. “I think I am that person,” he said.

Experience Across All Parts of the County

Bagby said his decades of work across the county give him insight into the needs of both northern and southern residents. He said he grew up in an area similar to northern Walton County, where long school bus rides and rural conditions were normal.

“I get the people north of DeFuniak Springs,” he said. “And I’ve worked south of the bay for the last 20 years.”

He praised the Walton County School District for its dramatic improvement over the last two decades, but said the county government has not kept pace.

Bagby has spent recent months gathering petition signatures to qualify for the ballot rather than paying the required fee. He said the process is a valuable chance to meet residents.

“I want to talk to people,” he said.

He added that commissioners often understand only a small percentage of county issues unless they actively engage with residents. “The voters know 100% of the problems,” he said.

Bagby reiterated that Walton County must simultaneously protect its environment and broaden its economic base. “We’ve been given a gift by God, and we need to protect it,” he said.

He credited past leaders for preserving Grayton Beach State Park and state forest land. Without that foresight, he said, “we would have developed every one of those wetlands.”

Customer Service as the County’s Weakest Point

When asked about the county’s biggest weakness, Bagby responded without hesitation: “Customer service.”

He said residents too often feel treated as “afterthoughts” by local government. “I would like to see customer service improve,” he said.

Bagby previously served as district director for U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. He said that experience provided him with important insight into how federal funding and project support work.

“I understand the federal process more than either one of my competitors,” Bagby said. He believes that knowledge will help secure federal support for beach nourishment and other large-scale initiatives. “It’ll be a huge benefit for Walton County,” he said.

Bagby said the Walton County Commission has been divided 3–2 on the most significant issues for about 15 years, similar to the country’s political polarization.

Some characterize the split as “developers’ folks” versus “people’s folks,” he said. He believes that unless residents become more active and assertive, the divide will persist.

Bagby urged voters to pay closer attention to local government. Many residents, he said, remain disengaged unless they need a permit. Meanwhile, developers invest heavily in elections.

“It’s time for people to take care of the county,” he said. “Until they take control, we’re going to be a 3–2 county.”

Reflecting on his work in Destin, Bagby said improving the quality of life is his proudest achievement. He cited the undergrounding of utilities beginning at the Marler Bridge, the purchase of parkland and beachfront property, improvements to Joe’s Bayou, and the completion of the Harbor Boardwalk.

Bagby said he intends to remain accessible to residents during and after the election.

“I’m committed to building a better future for Walton County from north to south,” he said.