Unincorporated Bay County is governed by the Board of County Commissioners, a five-member governing board elected at large to represent the citizens of Bay County. The board guides the actions of the organization in ensuring the future of Bay County, establishes policies and appoints a county manager to implement those policies managing the operations of the county. The commission annually adopts the millage rate and approves the county budget which determines the revenue and expenditures necessary to operate all county departments.

In 2009, the majority of county government offices relocated to the Bay County Government Center located at 840 W. 11th St. in Panama City, FL. The three-story building provides a singular convenient location for all county residents to conduct their business and includes the following departments:

Planning and Zoning

Information and Technology and Geographical Information Systems

Code Enforcement, Builders’ Services

Development Services

Public Works

Traffic Engineering

Traffic Management Center

Veterans Services

Human Resources

Budget

Risk Management

Purchasing

County Administrative Offices.

All the county commission-governed offices as well as the commission chambers are located at the 11th Street site, with the exception of Emergency Services, Parks and Recreation, Utility Services, the Solid Waste Division, Mosquito Control and Fleet Maintenance. The Center is also home to the offices of the Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections and the Tax Collector. For more information about Bay County government, visit www.baycountyfl.gov.

Population

   72,558
   

Square miles

   689 (including Navy Base and Tyndall AFB)

Bay County Sheriff’s Dept

   850.747.4700

Bay County Commission
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402
   850.248.8140