After 20 years with the city, Destin City Manager Lance Johnson and the City Council have mutually agreed to part ways effective Jan. 2.
- During the council’s regular meeting Monday, Mayor Bobby Wagner read a proclamation honoring Johnson for two decades of “faithful service” to the city. Johnson called it “an honor and a privilege” to lead the city organization for the past five years.
“I took the challenge because they had faith in me,” he said of the council.
The proclamation noted that Johnson increased local sports tourism from three tournaments a year to over 24 during his 15 years in the parks and recreation department. It brought “millions of dollars into Destin’s economy,” it said.
As city manager, Johnson “applied for and received the initial TDC funding to maintain Destin’s beachfront parks and boardwalk harbor,” the mayor read.
- Wagner also cited Johnson’s success “in forging positive working relationships with departments and individual employees throughout the City, other agencies, and citizens throughout the community.”
In his remarks during the proclamation reading, Johnson thanked the community, his family, the city staff and God for the opportunity to serve Destin.
“I’m looking forward to finding out what He’s got planned for me next,” Johnson said, noting he still plans to stay involved locally. “I’m not done serving the community of Destin.”
He gave special thanks to his wife and “number one cheerleader,” Andrea, for supporting him “the whole time”, along with his daughter.
