Residents used the public-comment period at Panama City's special commission meeting on Dec. 30, 2024, to press officials on several ongoing concerns: differences in pump bids, the West Beach Drive path and road-transfer status with FDOT, public-records fees and the city's $150 million loan and investment strategy.

Doug Thomas of 1100 West 10th Street questioned the acceptance of a single $1,600,000 bid for diesel pumps after another bidder withdrew, highlighted large per-unit price differences and asked why the city would act before more bids were obtained. Steven Kickler of Hydro Service (23304 McAuliffe Drive, Robertsdale, Alabama), who addressed the commission, responded that the bids were not apples-to-apples: one bidder had not provided the required 10% warranty bond (about $153,000) and there were substantive equipment differences.

Hank Pickin (820 West Beach Drive) raised the West Beach Drive path as a separate topic, citing an opinion letter from attorney Nevan Zimmerman that said title and easements necessary for the project are vested in the Florida Department of Transportation or Panama City (the letter did not state outright that title is vested in Panama City). Pickin said a promised 90%-level public review had not occurred and asked for a dedicated meeting to discuss the project. City staff and Hayes said 90% plans were displayed in the rotunda for public comment, that 100% plans had been with FDOT since mid-October, and that the project can proceed via an FDOT right-of-way permit if FDOT does not transfer the road.

Jennifer Bennett (920 West Beach Drive) told commissioners she did not see an emergency justifying the special meeting, accused the commission of misstating how many meetings had occurred in November and December, and asked for status updates on the FDOT road-transfer, DEP, Florida Fish and Wildlife and Army Corps permits, as well as total spending to date (she said she believed about $1,000,000 had been spent). City staff replied with a meeting date (Nov. 12) and said they would provide the requested cost and title-search documents.

Brenda Veil Williams (1007 North Center Avenue) praised MLK and demolition efforts but pressed for funds and temporary play facilities at Doug Buck Moody Park. She also questioned fees for using the AD Harris gym for youth programming and disputed a $450 invoice for a public-records request, citing Florida Statute 119 on records costs; the commission asked staff to check labor hours attributed to the invoice. The commission voted to grant Williams an extra two minutes to finish her remarks; the motion passed 4 to 0.

Bernie Thompson (8317 Front Beach Road) criticized the city's $150,000,000 loan taken in 2023 and questioned whether the city's investment returns justified the borrowing costs, saying the city paid higher interest than the return on its invested funds. Thompson also alleged that a contractor tied to state Rep. Jay Trumbull had previously caused pipeline damage. Commissioners responded that the loan with Truist Bank was intended to cover roughly $300,000,000 in grant projects, that portions were invested to earn approximately 5–5.5% and that net annual cost to the city was lower than a headline interest figure because of those returns; staff said they would provide recent statements for review on public-records request.

City Manager Jonathan Hayes addressed many of the specific questions: he said engineers had concluded the pump equipment offered by bidders was not equal and that AAG had formally withdrawn its bid, explained prior waivers and title-search history on a setback-concurrence request (referring legal detail to Nevan Zimmerman's office), and described the FDOT transfer versus permit path for the Beach Drive project. Hayes reiterated that the items on the special meeting agenda were ARPA- or CDBG-funded and that staff planned the special meeting to allow contractors to begin work promptly because of grant timelines (ARPA encumbrance was noted as a Dec. 31 deadline).

The meeting record shows staff committed to providing requested documents (title searches, cost detail and plan-display dates) and directed requestors to the city's website for policy on special meetings. Several speakers made accusatory claims about contractors and city behavior; those allegations either received clarifying responses from staff or remain unresolved in the public record and would require further evidence or administrative records to verify.