Gulf County Commissioners

What Gulf County Commissioners does

Gulf County Board of County Commissioners (Gulf County BOCC) is the elected governing body of Gulf County, Florida — a small coastal county on the Florida Panhandle with administrative offices at the Robert M. Moore Administration Building in Port St. Joe and additional presence in Wewahitchka. The county delivers a comprehensive suite of municipal services to residents and visitors across Port St. Joe, Wewahitchka, White City, and surrounding communities, operating through more than two dozen departmental functions including Water Department utilities, Public Works (animal control, mosquito control, road department, solid waste), Emergency Medical Services, E911 dispatch, Building Department permits and inspections, GIS mapping, Flood Protection, and Parks & Recreation.

Core infrastructure includes the Wetappo Transfer Station (solid waste facility opened October 2023), the Gulf County Welcome Center, the Tourist Development Council's network of two dozen parks, nearly 20 boat launches, 20 public beach access points, 30 miles of beaches, and more than 40 public restrooms maintained during peak season. The technology stack comprises GIS, E911 emergency dispatch, water management systems, and citizen-facing digital services such as online and pay-by-phone water bill payment (added 2021) and YouTube live streaming of commission meetings via the GulfCoBOCC channel.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model of recurring and transactional streams: county property taxes, a 5% Tourist Development Tax on overnight transient rentals (collected by 62 of Florida's 67 counties), a six-cent per gallon Local Option Gas Tax (subject to ongoing rescission review under Ordinance 2025-04), tipping fees at the Wetappo Transfer Station, and significant external grant funding from FloridaCommerce (CDBG, CDBG-MIT, CDBG-DR), FEMA Public Assistance, and the Triumph Gulf Coast Board. The county is also pursuing workforce housing via public-private partnership and is the recipient of a $23 million Triumph Gulf Coast grant — its largest single grant award — to fund a floating dry dock and ship repair facility supporting the regional maritime industry anchored by Eastern Shipbuilding Yard in Port St. Joe.

Name

Gulf County Commissioners

Legal name

Gulf County Board of County Commissioners

Website

https://gulfcounty-fl.gov

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gulf County Board of County Commissioners is the elected governing body of Gulf County, Florida, delivering public services — water, solid waste, EMS, parks, permits, and tourism infrastructure — to county residents and visitors from Port St. Joe and Wewahitchka.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

County Government Services

NAICS

Executive Offices (92111), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works Departments (Streets, Bridges, Stormwater, Fleet, Maintenance) (BPAIALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), State/Provincial Licensing, Permitting & Regulatory Administration (Cross-sector) (BPAIABAO), Public Property & Asset Management (Federal Buildings, Fleet, Land) (BPAIAAAJ)

Keywords

• County government services
• Public utility services
• Solid waste management
• Emergency medical services
• Tourist development administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Port St. Joe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes: County property taxes fund general operations and services.
2. Tourist Development Tax: 5% Tourist Development Tax generated from overnight stays on transient rentals of 6 months or less, used for parks, beaches, public facilities, events, public safety, and local economy support.
3. Local Option Gas Tax: Six-cent per gallon gasoline and fuels tax, with distribution to municipalities.
4. CDBG Grants: Community Development Block Grant funding from FloridaCommerce for various infrastructure projects.
5. Tipping Fees: Fees charged at transfer stations for waste disposal - $67.50 per ton for C&D debris, MSW, and metal; $32.50 per ton for yard waste and concrete.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gulf County Board of County Commissioners delivers statutory local government services to the residents, property owners, businesses, and visitors of Gulf County, Florida. Core offerings include water and wastewater utility operations, solid waste collection and disposal via the Wetappo Transfer Station, emergency medical services and E911 dispatch, parks and recreation maintenance, tourist development promotion funded by the local 5% tourist tax, building permitting and inspections, code enforcement, public works (roads, mosquito control, animal control), GIS and flood-zone mapping services, and administration of state and federal grants such as CDBG and SHIP housing programs.

Product overview

Gulf County Commissioners operates a unified set of county government services delivered through its official website. Core services include Water Department utilities (with online and phone payment options), Wetappo Transfer Station for solid waste management, Tourist Development Council managing tourism tax revenue for parks and beach maintenance, Public Works infrastructure services, Emergency Medical Services, E911 dispatch, Building Department permits, and GIS mapping services. The county uses CivicLive web platform for its online presence and YouTube for live streaming meetings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Department Services Potable water treatment, distribution, billing, and customer service for Gulf County water system customers, including online and pay-by-phone bill payment options.
• Wetappo Transfer Station County-operated solid waste transfer station providing refuse disposal services to Gulf County residents and contractors.
• Tourist Development Council Services Administration of the 5% tourist development tax and reinvestment of revenue into beach maintenance, parks, boat launches, beach accesses, and tourism marketing for Gulf County.
• Public Works Services Road and right-of-way maintenance, drainage, signage, and infrastructure upkeep across the county road system.
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Pre-hospital emergency medical response and transport services for residents and visitors of Gulf County.
• E911 Dispatch Services 24/7 emergency call-taking and dispatch for police, fire, and medical emergencies throughout Gulf County.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Services Interactive parcel, zoning, and flood-zone mapping viewer available to the public through the county website for property research and floodplain determinations.
• Building Department Services Building permits, plan review, inspections, and code enforcement for residential and commercial construction within unincorporated Gulf County and participating municipalities.
• Parks and Recreation Operation and maintenance of approximately two dozen county parks, nearly 20 boat launches, and more than 20 public beach access points for residents and visitors.
• Animal Control Services Animal pickup, sheltering, and enforcement of county animal control ordinances.
• Mosquito Control Services Countywide mosquito surveillance, treatment, and abatement to protect public health.
• Solid Waste Collection Curbside solid waste collection and disposal coordination for unincorporated Gulf County, feeding into the Wetappo Transfer Station.
• Affordable Housing Assistance Programs (CDBG / SHIP) Administration of state and federal housing assistance programs, including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funding, plus a $23 million Triumph Gulf Coast workforce housing project.
• Fire Department Services Fire suppression and emergency response through county fire departments serving Gulf County residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 331 tons of trash and debris removed from parks and beaches in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFWC cooperated with Gulf County on the Bear Wise Funding project to install bear-resistant clips on trash receptacles to reduce human-bear conflicts. The county purchased and distributed the kits to residents.
• Waste ProminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaste Pro is a partner in the Bear Wise Funding pilot program with Gulf County and FWC, providing waste collection services while bear-resistant clips are installed on trash receptacles.
• CareerSource Gulf CoastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareerSource Gulf Coast provides employment services including strike teams for ramp-up training, supporting workforce development in Gulf County.
• Apalachee Regional Planning CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApalachee Regional Planning Council conducts Regional Rural Transportation Plan meetings and technical advisory committee sessions that Gulf County participates in for transportation planning coordination.
• Eastern Shipbuilding YardcoreOthersEastern Shipbuilding Yard is a major employer in Port St. Joe that has been expanding and recruiting workers. The company landed a major shipbuilding deal and is a significant economic driver for Gulf County.
• Deseret Cattle and Timber CompanyminorOthersDeseret Cattle and Timber Company is headquartered in Wewahitchka and has been expanding operations in Gulf County, contributing to the local economy.
• Tyndall Air Force BaseminorOthersTyndall Air Force Base, located nearby in Panama City, is undergoing a $6 billion renovation to become the most modern air force base, creating economic spillover opportunities for Gulf County.
• Ascension Sacred Heart HospitalminorOthersState-of-the-art Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Gulf County provides healthcare services and is cited as a community asset for workforce recruitment.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Franklin County, Florida: Adjacent small, coastal Florida county on the Gulf of Mexico with comparable population, tourism reliance, and rural governance profile. Operates similar water, public works, parks, and tourism-tax-funded services, making it the closest functional peer to Gulf County.
• Calhoun County, Florida: Small, rural Panhandle Florida county with similar limited population, grant-driven capital planning, and public-works-centered service mix. Directly comparable on scale, funding sources, and operational footprint.
• Liberty County, Florida: Small, rural Florida county neighboring Gulf County with similar tax-base constraints, state-grant dependency, and limited staff capacity. Comparable in scale, governance model, and reliance on state/federal funding for capital projects.
• Washington County, Florida: Small, rural Panhandle Florida county with similar budget scale, limited staff, and reliance on CDBG and state grants for capital infrastructure improvements.
• Wakulla County, Florida: Small, coastal Big Bend Florida county with comparable tourism and parks infrastructure, environmental and coastal permitting exposure, and rural county government structure.

Others

• Florida Association of Counties: Statewide membership association representing all 67 Florida county governments. Relevant as a peer ecosystem organization rather than a direct service competitor—provides shared advocacy, training, and best-practice infrastructure for county governments of Gulf County's size and profile.
• Gulf County Clerk of Court: Constitutional county officer housed in the same courthouse complex as the BOCC. Comparable as an independent elected local-government function supported by and coordinated with the Board of County Commissioners.
• City of Port St. Joe: Municipal government within Gulf County that currently has jurisdictional/ordinance conflict with the County. Comparable as a local government entity delivering overlapping resident services, but operates under city rather than county authority.
• Gulf County Sheriff's Office: Constitutional public-safety entity operating within Gulf County alongside the BOCC. Comparable as a separately elected local-government body funded from county budgets, with overlapping service-area jurisdiction.

Broad incumbents

• Bay County, Florida: Larger neighboring Panhandle Florida county that shares the Gulf Coast geography and is also adjacent to Tyndall Air Force Base. Comparable in tourism and military-spillover economic exposure but operates at meaningfully larger scale and budget.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GulfCoBOCC/streams
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gulf-county-commissioners

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gulf County Commissioners