In the event you missed the headlines in both local papers or on the news, on April 21st the Destin City Council voted unanimously to buy out the contract with Trident-Operations, LLC. Though public commentary harshly judged the $2.1m decision ($1.75 buyout and 400k for the purchase of the property), those who have followed the case and the many issues involved were confident that the right decision was made.
A hard look into the issues and costs (both incurred and imminent) led to mutual acknowledgement that win or lose, costs would likely be in the millions and it was in the city’s best interest to move on from the group and all the legal wrangling stemming from ownership questions following the original signee’s murder outside his Atlanta club.
It was difficult to hear and read all the misinformation surrounding the decision. Many citizens commented on how the city should have used the money to pay the firefighters instead, which was disturbing on many levels– the most important of which is the fact that the Fire District is not part of the city, rather, the city is part of their District. With that said, discussion is healthy and I think the community and the city move forward having learned much from the entire process. Just let us know if you’re in the market for property on Airport!