JP Coger's Washington County Update
- Beth Coger
- Apr 6
- 5 min read
WHAT IS GOING ON?
IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEARING THIS WEEK:
The Washington County Planning Board will hold a special meeting (Hearing on Zoning) on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Washington County Courthouse (280 N. College Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas). In Person Meeting Only! You can watch the meeting on YouTube herehttps://www.youtube.com/user/washcoar. Read the agenda here.
A constituent has pointed out that Page 34 contains the following:
“(c) The County Judge may waive the above appeal requirements; however, the County Judge’s decision shall be final.”
⦻ It appears that this paragraph should be removed entirely from the ordinance. Per legal advice provided by Mr. Steve Zega to Mr. Steve Green who shared it with the court.
This meeting is incredibly important for the future of our community. The Planning Board will be discussing and presenting a new zoning ordinance, including updated rules and regulations that could shape how Washington County grows and develops for decades to come.
Zoning decisions affect nearly every aspect of our lives — where homes can be built, how land is used, how neighborhoods evolve, and how we preserve our farmland, natural habitats, green spaces, and community character. These changes will have a lasting impact on housing affordability, infrastructure, economic opportunities, and environmental sustainability, and the peacefulness in Washington County.
This is your chance to get informed, ask questions, and make your voice heard. The public is not only encouraged to attend but will also be allowed to ask questions directly and, hopefully, get the answers they deserve.
We only get a few key moments to influence the future. This is one of them. Let's show up and make sure our community’s values and needs are reflected in the decisions that are being made. Your participation now will help build a better Washington County for generations to come.
“In all public hearings, the chairman shall make all rulings on the admissibility of evidence, the scope of the inquiry, the order in which evidence, objections and arguments, etc. are presented; provided, however, that the members shall retain the privilege to make personal inquiries or to call for a vote on any ruling of the chairman, the results of which vote shall affirm or reverse the ruling.” (P. 3 Planning Boad Bylaws)
“As provided by state statute 14-17-207(a), a majority of the entire membership of the Board is required in order to recommend to the Quorum Court the adoption, revision, or rescission of an official plan or implementing ordinance for the county…” (Page 4 Planning Board Bylaws)
You can prepare by reading and studying the Planning Board’s Bylaws here. I think that link requires Adobe Reader. Here’s the link on the county’s website. Go there and then scroll down to “ByLaws.”
Here’s the link to an “Explanation of Rules of Conduct” at meetings. Also here https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/government/departments-f-z/planning/the-planning-board and go to “Explanation of Rules of Conduct.”
WASHINGTON COUNTY MEETINGS THIS WEEK:
📅 The April meeting of the Washington County Quorum Court “Finance & Budget Committee.” Read Agenda here.
📍 Location: 280 N. College, Washington County Courthouse, Fayetteville, AR 🕕 Date & Time: Tuesday, 4/8/25 at 6:00 PM. This is an in-person meeting only and will be livestreamed here.
Item 7. “AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $20,000 FROM UNAPPROPRIATED RESERVES IN GENERAL FUND TO THE QC BUDGET FOR 2025.”
Item 4. “AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $500,000 FROM UNAPPROPRIATED RESERVES IN GENERAL FUND TO THE EOC CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FUND BUDGET FOR 2025.”
📌MEETINGS TO WATCH FROM LAST WEEK
The Washington County Quorum Court’s County Services Committee met Monday 3/31/25. Here’s video of the meeting. I had a rundown last week about the agenda items.
The discussion by JP Rivera Lopez on the “Right to Prepare Ordinance” starts at 9:41 in the video. He chose to table the ordinance for now due to the county’s third party vendor not having the capacity at this time to implement the ordinance.
I missed this meeting. The first committee meeting I’ve missed in five years. I was being honored as a recipient of the “Women in History 2025” award that same evening. It was an incredible event and I am honored to have been chosen as a Woman in History due to my work in bringing more transparency to our county government and keeping the community informed on county matters. Also, getting more people involved. That's what I hope to do with this newsletter.
🌟 DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 4/6/25
As of Tuesday, 4/5/25, there were at least 734 individuals currently detained in the Washington County Detention Center.
An estimated 80-100 additional detainees are not publicly listed due to "restrictive bookings." Restrictive bookings are people who, when they’re booked into the jail, do not show up on the public facing dashboard. There are various reasons, sometimes for safety concerns, but I think most of these are federal prisoners and/or ICE detainees. I was told once by an employee at the sheriff’s office that these restricted bookings usually hover around 80 to 100
76 detainees list their addresses as either "homeless" or "1832 S School Street" (Seven Hills Homeless Shelter).
Here’s the link to the Detailed Charge Report:
You can check the “Calls for Service” board here.
Here’s a list in alphabetical order to search for people.
READ AND STUDY THE 2020 CRIMINAL JUSTICE ASSESSMENT STUDY PREPARED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS HERE. READ AND LEARN WHY WE DO NOT NEED TO SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON JAIL EXPANSIONS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE!
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County Bid Postings (as of 4/6/25)
Property Insurance Buildings & Content:
RFP posted on County website, March 28, 2025
RFP requests for interpretations to be submitted by 2:00 PM on Monday, April 14, 2025
RFP due at 4:00 PM, Monday, April 28, 2025
RFP opened at 9:30 AM, Tuesday, April 29, 2025
View all current RFQs and bids [here].
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County Job Openings (as of 4/6/25)
I’m guessing that we hired the Technology Director - IT Department, Assistant Library Director and Office Manager - Animal Shelter, as those positions are no longer posted.
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.91 / HR | |
Temporary | Open Until Filled | 14/Hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $16 - $17.62 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.25 - $23.42/hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $17.05 Hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.25 - $22.31 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $29.92-$32.98 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $16.90-$31.10 |
The Road Department (479-444-1610) and Sheriff's Office (479-444-5700) are consistently hiring.
Below is the link for all posted job openings in Washington County. The road department and sheriff’s offices are almost always hiring. The road department is 479-444-1610. The sheriff’s office is 479-444-5700.
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