WC QUORUM COURT AGAIN REFUSES TO FUND NONPROFIT WITH ARPA MONEY
(All Republican JPs voted NO! All Democratic JPs voted YES!)
COURT APPROVES (Partial) FUNDING FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
→ Finance & Budget Committee met Tuesday. Watch the meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/live/3EMU1UrIuR4?si=zETBPDPea8V43UxL
(These items move on to the full QC meeting Thursday for final vote)
→ approved spending all remaining ($4,857,232.54) American Rescue Plan Act money to help construct the emergency operations center. That’s it for the ARPA money. The construction cost (estimated) $8.3 Million with the remaining coming out of reserves/savings. (Video @ 1:17:32)
→ JP Suki Highers’ ordinance to fund Magdalene Serenity House with $33K+ ARPA (JUST $33k OUT OF OVER $46 MILLION) money failed. Again. The following JPs voted TO FUND MAGDALENE HOUSE: Rios Stafford; Washington; Highers; and Coger. All other JPs Taylor, Wilson, Simons, Lyons, Ecke, Dean, Dennis, Leming, Ricker and Pond voted NO! FUNDING FOR MAGDALENE SERENITY HOUSE.
→ passed ordinance establishing the county’s $112MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET, leaving approximately $2M as a savings cushion. Study the budget here: chrome-extension://hbgjioklmpbdmemlmbkfckopochbgjpl/https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/29584/638302084990030000
→ Washington County Attorney Brian Lester informed me on Tuesday that the county is filing a lawsuit against me (yes, they’re suing me!) because I posted online a photograph of the county’s check in payment of my two judgments in Coger v. Wood, Lester, Ecke, Pond Etal. So stay tuned for that.
→ On a personal note, I filed for re-election to serve as your JP District 9 again on Tuesday and it seems crazy that it’s already time to refile. These past 10.5 months have flown by. I really enjoy serving on the court and hope to accomplish more in the coming months.
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A Special Election for the City of Fayetteville Ward 1 Vacancy will be held on November 14th.
For complete information, including polling locations go to:
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NOVEMBER 15, 2023
ELECTION COMMISSION MEETING (IF REQUIRED)
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Conference Room (Road Department Bldg.)
2615 South Brink Drive
Fayetteville, AR 72701
The Election Commission will meet on November 15th at 1:00 p.m. to review any provisional ballots cast for the November 14, 2023 City of Fayetteville Special Election and/or to approve ballots and sign Notice of Election for a December 12, 2023 Run Off Election if required.
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WCLS Library Board Meeting
Date:11/16/2023 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
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REGULAR QUORUM COURT MEETING Thursday, 10/16/23 6:00 PM, WC Courthouse. IN PERSON MEETING ONLY (if you wish to participate). Meeting will be livestreamed: https://www.youtube.com/user/washcoar
Agenda for QC Meeting: https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/7353/17
AGENDA ITEMS TO WATCH
$4,857,232.54 from ARPA Fund to use as partial payment for EOC.
Updates to Family & Medical Leave Policy & Workers’ Compensation Policies for WC Employees
Ordinance establishing the WC Budget for 2024
Ordinances ratifying Conditional Use Permits for Abandoned Customs; Riverbum Treehouse; and PSR Excavation.
Where we need YOU this week!
STILL NO PUBLIC ACTION TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COMMITTEE. Continue to ask Judge Deakins to appoint members to the CJCC and to do so immediately and take necessary steps to see the CJCC is properly appointed and operational. The CJCC wants to bring a pretrial services program to the quorum court for funding, but it must exist in order to do that or anything else. This is too important. If you haven’t called, please do so, or send email, or go by the courthouse and speak to the judge in person. His door is “always open…” that’s what he said during his campaign.
Contact your JP and set up a time to meet them for coffee or just to get together. Become a regular voice in their ear and urge them to vote for criminal justice reform and be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. I write this each week, but it really is important. That’s how I got started advocating to the court back in 2019. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. CAN YOU TAKE AN HOUR OR TWO AND MEET WITH YOUR JP AND SHARE YOUR CONCERNS OR COMMENTS, OR WHATEVER YOUR THOUGHTS ARE.
Share this Newsletter with your friends and neighbors!
Write letters to the editor.
I welcome your questions and comments, also suggestions you have for any county related business. You can reach me at ejcoger@gmail.com or text or call 479-306-9994.
See you at the courthouse!
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