At age 28, new Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner ready to reinvigorate the community

He may be young, but with youth comes energy. And Destin's new 28-year-old Mayor Bobby Wagner says he is ready to put his energy into reinvigorating the community. 

Wagner, Destin's youngest mayor, beat out fellow councilman Rodney Braden for the office. 

Wagner centered his campaign around the words, "revive, reclaim and sustain." 

"I picked those three words because they resonated with me. But after going out and door knocking on hundreds of people and having conversations at their front doors and over the phone, I think they really showed me what those words meant," Wagner said. 

Election 2022:Bobby Wagner is elected mayor of Destin, defeating Rodney Braden

On the campaign trail he said he enjoyed meeting people face to face, "feeling them out to understand them fully and moving forward with them," he said. 

"I was getting a real good overall pulse of the city, not just the city, but the different pockets of the city," he said. 

Although he said he thinks his motto of revive, reclaim and sustain played a big part in his winning, he feels it was more than that. 

"It's because I showed up and showed out and really let people know how much I care. And that my youth isn't a crutch but that it's a positive thing that I have this much energy and I have this much passion for everyone," Wagner said. 

He said what he really got from being out in the community was "a better understanding" of how he can serve. He heard people's frustrations and how they loved Destin and what they wanted to see changed. 

"I think it's going to be the very beginning of my success … because I'm constantly going to go back and tune back into what I learned on the trail," he said. 

Is Wagner too young to be mayor?

"People are skeptical," Wagner said. 

But he used his youth as an icebreaker when knocking on doors. 

"Hi my name is Bobby. … I'm going around and letting everyone know I'm not 12 years old," he said. "They start laughing or they don't laugh, but either way it was warming up them up to the conversation. They get a chuckle and ask me some questions."

Wagner admits he's young, but he also has run a business for 10 years — a video production company — and he serves as executive director for the environmental nonprofit Trees on the Coast. 

"I've never done marketing, never spent money on my own business. ... It's always been networking, word of mouth," he said. 

So by knocking on doors, talking to the people, it allowed the residents to ask him questions. 

"That was where I was able to overcome the objections. … Does the kid know what he is doing?" Wagner said. 

Sometimes he said he knew the answer and sometimes not, but he was honest about it. 

"I'm a book nerd and a band nerd. … As a book nerd, I was able to go back to the code and come up with some solutions and ideas and then follow back up with them," he said. 

Wagner said skepticism is good in politics. 

"That's what makes the cream rise to the top. Instead of getting defensive about it (his age), I just leaned into it, and showed people that age shouldn't be a factor. … Competency, willingness to learn and the desire to serve and just hustle and try to move our city forward is what should count on the ballot. I think the people really resonated with that," he said. 

Wagner will be sworn in at the next council meeting on Nov. 28. 

"That's when my hands get on the driver's seat and on the wheel," he said. 

Was becoming mayor of Destin always on his radar? 

"No, I was supposed to be a band director. I was supposed be teaching music, marching band or symphony band. The goal was to get a music education degree and come back and take over at Fort Walton Beach," he said. 

However, his plans got derailed when he said yes. 

"I really just said yes. I keep saying yes to things I'm passionate about. The music turned to video. From video, I got into the small-business world and fell in love with people. Trying to tap into people's passion and desires and what they do. That made me fall in love with nonprofit work. This area is very giving," he said. 

As part of the nonprofit Trees on the Coast, Wagner found himself coming before the council on various occasions. 

"I fell in love with how much an impact a small body of local government touches the constituents that live in that area. It's been this natural falling forward and saying yes," he said. 

"It's not where I thought I would be, but honestly I don't think I could see myself anywhere else right now," Wagner said. 

"It's service before self and just trying to be something greater than yourself," he said. 

Does Wagner have aspirations beyond mayor? 

"At this point, I can't promise anything," he said. 

"I just try to step up and lead and serve in the position that I'm called to do, the position that can make the biggest impact. And right now, being mayor of Destin is where I'm called to make the biggest impact in my community," he said. 

As mayor, Wagner doesn't get a vote unless there is a tie. 

"What I've learned on the council is that the council is supposed to be an objective, non-biased opinion to the projects that are presented. And they are the voting body. 

"However, me being young, eager and naive, maybe I was trying to be a councilman who was on the front end of projects, working with Lance Johnson (city manager) and department heads, trying to create projects. Be at the front end of the table, which wasn't allowed," he said. 

His goal as mayor is to work with city staff, citizens, third-party players who want to create projects, holistically with everyone in mind, especially the residents.

"I love the vote, but I'm hoping to influence and create better projects for the council to vote on, that puts the locals and the residents at the heart of every matter," he said. 

As mayor, Wagner is the face of the community.

"I'm the face, but I want to be a support mechanism for all the different things that happen in the community," he said, from the high school, Little League, Rotary and Kiwanis to the Community Center. 

"A place is only a place, but the people are what create the love, the passion, desire to make a home," he said. 

Wagner said the council is only a small body and he's only one person. 

"It's going to take this community. Whatever they are passionate for, I'm urging people to recommit," he said. 

"I want to empower our committees," he said whether it's parks and recreation, to public safety to the harbor. 

"Whatever it may be, those who want to serve and volunteer their time, need to be given the tools, the funding and freedom to help serve the community. So, I'm asking for anyone who has an interest in a committee, reach out to me," Wagner said. 

"I really want to see this community come back together. I want to reinvigorate this community," he said.