Bay County, Florida Government

06/12/2026

Construction on the new boat ramp at Highpoint Park is scheduled to begin Monday, June 29. The project will replace the existing ramp with a longer boat ramp, add two floating docks and include a new floating kayak and canoe launch.

Highpoint Park will close June 29 to allow room for construction crews and equipment. Construction is expected to take about 180 days.

Alternative boat ramps providing access to Deer Point Lake can be found in the county's interactive map: https://bayview.baycountyfl.gov/experience/36b356be4fc34fe89fe19aae6abd19da

We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to improve public lake access at Highpoint Park.

06/11/2026

New amenities are coming to Zollie Young Park, located at 3829 E. 43rd Street between Highways 390 and 231.

06/09/2026

Bay County residents heading to the beach this summer may park for free at the M.B. Miller County Pier with a resident parking permit. Even better, permits are now valid for five years.

Permits are linked to your vehicle tag number, require no physical pass and no credit card information. Simply upload a copy of your vehicle registration to verify residency and complete the application online.

Apply today at https://baycountyfl.cmrpay.com/dashboard/landing

Need assistance? Call Bay County Parks and Recreation at (850) 248-8730.

06/03/2026

Congratulations to Alicia Carothers on her appointment as a Bay County Judge.

This week marks Alicia's final week with Bay County after serving as Deputy County Attorney for the past two and a half years. During her time with the county, she provided trusted legal counsel and dedicated service.

While we will certainly miss her, we are excited to see her begin this next chapter. Please join us in thanking Alicia for her contributions to the county and wishing her the very best as she takes the bench.

06/02/2026

Welcome to Bay County, Chief Austin Pugh!

05/29/2026

Paws what you're doing and come meet some adorable adoptable pets! 🐾

Bay County Animal Control will be at PetSmart (849 E. 23rd St.) in Panama City tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with adoptable pets ready to meet their future families. Adoptions are just $25 and include spay/neuter surgery, microchipping, and vaccinations.

Please note: The shelter on Bay Line Drive will not be open for adoptions tomorrow, but staff may be reached during regular business hours by calling (850) 767-3333.

05/28/2026

The recent rain is much needed across Bay County 🙌, but it can also create new places for mosquitoes to breed. Bay County Mosquito Control encourages residents to take a few minutes to walk around their property and dump out any standing water. Even small amounts of water in items like flower pots, buckets, and toys can quickly become breeding sites for mosquitoes.

More information:

Summer in Bay County means sunshine, outdoor fun and community events, but it is also peak mosquito season. Bay County Mosquito Control reminds residents that mosquito prevention starts at home.Most m

05/25/2026

Due to inclement weather, today’s Memorial Day Ceremony has been canceled. While we are disappointed not to gather in person, we remain united in remembering the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

05/22/2026

Exciting projects are taking shape across Bay County’s parks and recreational spaces. Here are some of the highlights:

• Installation of new playground equipment at Island View Park is underway.
• Construction of the new pavilion at the Highpoint Boat Ramp is nearly complete, with the concrete pad poured this week. Construction on the new boat ramp and kayak launch there will begin this summer.
• Demolition of the aged boardwalk at Beach Access #77 is underway to make room for a new walkway, which is expected to take about three weeks to construct.
• The aged walking bridges at H.G. Harder’s Park are being replaced, and work to replace all of the walking bridges at the park will continue over the coming weeks.
• Construction of two new pickleball courts is underway at Under the Oaks Park.

Thank you to our Parks and Recreation team for the great work happening across the county.

05/20/2026

This , we’re recognizing the teams behind the essential services we rely on every day. Bay County’s Public Works professionals keep our community running in ways many people may never see.

Bay County Public Works by the numbers:

Roads and Bridges
• Maintains 563 miles of paved roads, 177 miles of dirt roads, and 49 county bridges
• Resurfaced more than 140 miles of roadway over the past decade
• Applied preservation treatments to more than 200 miles of roads to extend pavement life
• Paved more than 35 miles of dirt roads through surtax-funded improvements

Utilities
• Treats 11.5 billion gallons of drinking water and 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater each year
• Maintains more than 370 miles of water lines and 227 miles of sewer lines
• Services 1,946 fire hydrants and 1,569 manholes

These photos show a Roads and Bridges crew improving safety on Highpoint Road by widening each lane by one foot. Thank you to our Public Works team for the essential work you do for the county.