JP Coger's Washington County Newsletter 6/22/25
- Beth Coger
- Jun 22
- 4 min read
As JP I do a lot of weddings. Here's a fun pic from a wedding I did on Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago at Gulley Park. It was actually raining hard during the ceremony and we were all soaked. The couple sent me this pic and gave me permission to use it. Weddings are probably the best part of my job because I meet so many wonderful people and hear their stories. (I do not charge for weddings, so this is not an advertisement, but if people are able and would like to do so, I ask that they donate to any animal shelter).
One of the most urgent recommendations was the creation of a Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee (CJCC) — a cross-agency leadership group designed to strengthen collaboration and accountability across our justice system. According to the CJAS, the CJCC should:
Develop and implement a CJCC to bring together key stakeholders and decision-makers
Use data to drive decisions, with routine monitoring of system-wide metrics
Establish a clear communication policy to ensure transparency across the CJCC and all criminal justice agencies
The original CJCC was formed pursuant to Ordinance 2017-44 in connection with the new Crisis Stabilization Unit. The CJCC operated until October of 2023 when the county judge disbanded the group because the members’ terms had expired, or they’d served past their terms. This happened immediately after the group voted unanimously to start a “robust pretrial services program” as outlined in the CJAS. Here is the letter county judge Deakins sent to the then prosecuting attorney, Matt Durrett, co-chair of the CJCC. He indicated he would move forward after deliberation but that has not happened. I asked the judge about this a few months ago in a public meeting and he said, “No.”
Six years have passed since the CJAS and almost two years since the CJCC was disbanded.
Why does this matter?
This year, Washington County is spending over $28 million on jail maintenance and operations, and another $14.6 million on enforcement. These costs are unsustainable — draining public resources, causing harm, and failing to make us safer, when it would be so much better to have programs like pretrial services.
A robust pretrial services program is one of the most effective, evidence-based tools a county can implement to reduce unnecessary incarceration — particularly for people who are legally innocent and simply awaiting trial. I'll write more about this in coming weeks. As the county prepares for the 2026 budget process, pretrial services should be at the top of our list.
Getting the CJCC up and running and doing its job is not just a bureaucratic step — it's the foundation for responsible, transparent, and effective criminal justice reform in Washington County.
Your Voice Matters. Call or email your Justice of the Peace, the County Judge and the Sheriff. Ask: 👉 Why hasn’t the CJCC been reinstated? Why haven’t you made that happen? 👉 What are we doing with the findings we paid for? 👉 When will Washington County take the next step toward smarter justice?
Here's a link to contact information for elected officials and others.
We’ve been given the blueprint. Now we need the will to act.
📊 Detention Center Snapshot (as of 6/21/25)
Total Individuals Incarcerated: 697
Listed as "Homeless" or “1832 S School Street” (Seven Hills): 77
“309” Trustees: 38
ADC Commitments (waiting for DOC beds): 105
Failure to Appear: 212
Hold for Other Departments: 216
🔍 Explore the data yourself:
Consider filtering for detainees held on bonds of $5,000 or less. What you'll find is eye-opening.
🗓️ Upcoming County Meetings
🛑 No meetings are currently scheduled this week.
➡️ Monday, June 30 | 6:00 PM County Services Committee | Washington County Courthouse📌 I have placed the following item on the agenda for the CS meeting:
"A ten minute presentation by Concerned Citizens of the Ozarks to address the quorum court on industrial wind projects."
➡️ Tuesday, July 8 | 6:00 PM Finance & Budget Committee | Washington County Courthouse📌 I have prepared this resolution to be placed on the F&B agenda for that meeting calling for a fiscal impact study concerning the jail addition/Covid Mitigation Project. Would you buy a home without knowing what your monthly principal, interest, taxes and insurance were going to cost you?
Please let me know if you have any questions about either of these agenda items.
🧾 Recent Meeting Summary
Thursday, June 19 | Quorum Court Meeting📺 Watch the meeting here
📝 Zoning code changes stayed on first reading; they’ll be back on the July 17 agenda for a second reading.
Unfortunately, the judge called for a show of hands to record votes — which is not acceptable. We must be able to clearly track how elected officials vote.
Many residents attended but weren’t allowed to speak beyond general public comment. One email I received afterward said, “It’s not fair.” I agree.
During that meeting, residents were not treated respectfully, and some were even publicly chastised. That must change. It's unkind and unprofessional and it lacks decorum.
🕊️ The Eaglecrest Recovery ordinance was also moved to the July meeting.
📢 County Bid Postings (as of 6/22/25)
🚫 No new RFQs or bids at this time.🔗 View all RFQs and bids
💼 County Job Openings (as of 6/22/25)
Position | Type | Salary |
Adult Detention Officer | Full Time | $21.91/hr |
Animal Shelter Admin Assistant | Full Time | $16.00–$17.62/hr |
Deputy Circuit Clerk I | Full Time | $19.27–$21.24/hr |
Deputy First Class - Patrol | Full Time | $24.38–$26.86/hr (DOE) |
Election Poll Worker | Temporary | $14.00/hr |
Janitorial - Building & Grounds | Full Time | $16.00–$17.62/hr |
Juvenile Detention Officer | Full Time | $21.25–$23.42/hr |
Peer Recovery Specialist | Full Time | $18.00/hr |
Planning Technician | Full Time | $21.25–$22.31/hr |
Road Dept Mechanic III | Full Time | $29.92–$32.98/hr |
Road Equip Operator (EQ1–EQ4) | Full Time | $16.90–$31.10/hr |
📞 Road Department: 479-444-1610📞 Sheriff’s Office: 479-444-5700🔗 View all job postings
コメント