Walton County welcomes millions of visitors every year to our beautiful sugar-white sand beaches, but most of them aren’t fully aware of the team that keeps our destination in prime condition. Beach Operations, a division of the Walton County Tourism Department, is comprised of hard-working individuals who set out every day to keep our beaches gorgeous, inviting and safe.
Headquartered off Highway 83 in the Blue Mountain Beach neighborhood, Beach Operations has been led by Director Brian Kellenberger since 2014. It’s important to understand the sheer scope of what Beach Operations handles and maintains throughout our community. From beach cleaning to construction and maintenance of our regional beach accesses and facilities, there’s no way South Walton would be the premier beach destination it is without the skills of these professionals.
To provide a more detailed view of just how big a role Beach Operations plays in our county, let’s take a look at the numbers. They maintain, clean and restock on a daily basis 60-plus beach, lake and bay accesses, including all access restrooms and pavilions. Every day they service 600 hundred garbage collection stations across the beach itself, the public accesses and the multi-use trail that runs alongside Scenic Highway 30A. In addition, they also maintain the entire 19-mile multi-use Timpoochee Trail including grass cutting, edging and cleaning of litter and sand off the path on a weekly basis.
Because Beach Operations is part of the Walton County Tourism Department, this means they’re funded through the 5% Tourist Development Tax (TDT) or “bed tax.” This tax is collected on all short-term rental stays of six months or less in accommodations south of Choctawhatchee Bay. Additionally, a 2% bed tax on short-term rentals is collected north of the Choctawhatchee Bay. Walton County residents do not pay a bed tax unless they are taking a “staycation” in a local accommodation.
In addition to funding for Beach Operations, TDT funds are also used to support various community organizations and programs, such as the South Walton Fire District’s Beach Safety/Lifeguard Program, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, turtle nest monitoring, the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, International Coastal Cleanup, the South Walton Artificial Reef Association, and various programing through the local state parks.
Of all the projects that Beach Operations is responsible for, the most notable is probably the regional beach accesses, the newest of which is the Scenic Gulf Drive Regional Beach Access which is scheduled to open October 2022. Given the popularity of our destination, the Tourism Department is always looking for opportunities to expand access to the beach and increase the availability of parking for our residents and visitors. Beach Operations plays a crucial role on this front, as well. Creating and launching the Grayton Beach Tram has been transformational in relieving the congestion in Grayton Beach, allowing sustainable foot traffic for several businesses and restaurants located in the town center. Both residents and visitors are encouraged to use this free tram, which boards from the parking area on County Road 283 (across from Hurricane Oyster Bar). Given the success of this program, the Tourism Department is exploring opportunities to expand this program to other areas.
In addition to constructing and maintaining all beach and bay accesses, Beach Operations also services several local parks including Legion Park, Thomas Pilcher Park and Bayside Ranchettes Park. All these locations come with amenities benefiting recreational activities such as basketball courts, picnic areas, playgrounds and kayak/boat ramps.
It’s a good time to also remember to try and do your part in assisting Beach Operations with keeping our home clean and trash free. Conveniently placed trash containers and collection points exist throughout our community, so let’s keep our destination in beautiful shape while making their jobs a little easier.
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Keenya Johnson, Administrative Assistant
Keenya has worked for Walton County Beach Operations for three years. In her role as Administrative Assistant, she helps the staff to stay organized with financial business. Her favorite part of her job is working with other county employees and sharing her green thumb by giving coworkers houseplants and succulents that she grows at her home. On the weekends, she can be found enjoying the Florida sunshine or visiting with her family.
Stacey Infinger, Administrative Assistant
Stacey has worked for Walton County for 30 years. Her organizational skills help keep business running smoothly, but her favorite part of her job is working with wonderful people. She considers the Beach Operations staff to be a second family to her. A Walton County resident for 33 years, her favorite activities include going to the beach and attending FSU football games.
Nancy Perea, Project Coordinator
Nancy has worked at Walton County Beach Operations for four months. Some of the projects she’s worked on include the Walton Dunes Regional Beach Access and the Grayton Beach parking lot. Perea moved to the Florida Panhandle from Alaska in 2016 to make her dream of living near a warm, beautiful beach a reality. She enjoys travel and outdoor activities like kayaking and hiking. She also enjoys crafting seascape-inspired terrariums and has a small collection of plants on her desk that were a gift from colleague Keenya Johnson.
Josh Ervin, Beach Maintenance Manager
Josh has worked for Walton County for seven years. He manages the Beach Maintenance Department, the maintenance and improvement of more than 60 park amenities and the multi-use path. Before coming to Beach Operations, Ervin worked as a firefighter for 15 years. He holds state certifications as a firefighter, EMT and law enforcement officer. He has a bachelor’s degree in Project Management and a master’s degree in Business Administration. He and his wife, Lauren, have been married for 17 years and have 12-year-old twins named Tripton and Tatum. They live in DeFuniak Springs.