JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 11/1/26
Welcome to this week’s Washington County Update!
YOUR VOICE. YOUR VOTE.
Voting is an opportunity to help shape our community and choose the people who make decisions on our behalf. If you have not already voted, please make a plan to vote. I do not remember an election in my lifetime that has been so important.
Early voting ends tomorrow, Monday, November 2. The Washington County Courthouse is the only location open that day, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Polls are open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at voting sites throughout the county. Check HERE to find the location most convenient for you.
If you are in line when polls close at 7:30 p.m., stay in line—you are entitled to cast your ballot.
AIRPORT BOARD APPOINTMENT: QUESTIONS REMAIN
Here is the latest development in my concerns over Tom Lundstrum’s reappointment to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority Board: a letter from Brian Burke, the Airport Board’s General Counsel. I encourage you to read it for yourself.
Apparently, I was or am supposed to stop asking questions. I haven’t.
As an elected Justice of the Peace, I have a responsibility to ask whether our rules and appointment requirements have been followed. The public deserves that, too. So I have asked. Some have given their opinions. Mark Whitmore from the Arkansas Association of Counties has not yet given his opinion. I am also seeking an independent third-party attorney since I now have new information.
I am still exploring my options. I still have questions. I still have my responsibility to raise them.
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2027 COUNTY BUDGET: PLEASE REVIEW AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
I received the latest proposed 2027 county budget on Friday, October 30. It was provided as a PDF; I have requested a spreadsheet version to make comparisons and analysis easier.
County employees: I especially want to hear from you. Please review the proposal and contact your Justices of the Peace with your questions, concerns, and suggestions.
Residents, please share this information and let us know how these spending decisions
could affect you and the county services you use.
According to JP Kyle Lyons, Chair of the Finance & Budget Committee, the proposal would:
Base departmental funding on the 2026 budget.
Remove all capital line items.
Adjust funding for health insurance increases.
Provide county employees a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), with no merit or step increases.
You can read JP Lyons’s full explanation here, including his reasoning for the proposed COLA. He has requested that a budget ordinance be prepared for discussion and a vote at the November Finance & Budget Committee meeting.
Is this intended as a transition budget? It is my understanding (from the last Finance & Budget meeting), that this is a transition budget, with the exception of a COLA and the health insurance. I will learn more about that this week after visiting with Comptroller Sherman.
If that is the intention, carrying forward operating funding while postponing some decisions could be reasonable. However, I would want a clear timetable for reviewing departmental requests, capital needs, staffing, and program funding. Essential repairs and existing obligations also need to be accounted for.
A budget reflects our priorities. Employees and residents deserve a clear explanation and an opportunity to help shape it.
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The Washington County Election Commission Listens to the Public and Unanimously Rejects DOJ Election Monitors
My observations
First, the commission demonstrated a willingness to listen to the public. It adopted public-comment procedures, extended the time to accommodate additional speakers, and heard extensive testimony before deliberating.
Second, Election Coordinator Jennifer Price provided a substantive explanation of the county's existing election safeguards. Her presentation is particularly valuable because it documents specific steps already being taken to protect voters, rather than relying only on general assurances about election integrity.
Third, the commissioners distinguished opposition to this particular DOJ request from opposition to election oversight generally. Their concerns focused on inadequate preparation, unanswered questions, and protecting an election already underway.
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👀 Looking Ahead - All meetings are open to the public. Unless otherwise noted, meetings will be held at the Washington County Courthouse, 280 N. College Avenue, Fayetteville.
Beaver Water District Bond Issue Public Hearing - November 5, 2026, 8:30 a.m. There’s no agenda posted but the heading says, “Bond Issue Public Hearing.”
County Services Committee Meeting: Monday, November 9 at 6:00 p.m. (new date due to early voting in Quorum Court Room)
Finance and Budget Committee Meeting: Tuesday, November 10 at 6:00 p.m.
November Regular Quorum Court Meeting: Thursday, November 19 at 6:00 p.m.
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PLANNING BOARD UPDATE — OCTOBER 29
The Washington County Planning Board meeting was held Thursday, 10/29/26. Watch the meeting HERE. I have a transcript of the meeting HERE in more detail, but below is a short summary for each agenda item.
Here are the highlights:
Dumpsite application postponed a second time. At the applicant’s request, the board tabled the DSD/Razorback Division dumpsite conditional use permit because of illness. The chair said the application must be heard at the next meeting or the applicant will have to restart the application process. No decision on the permit was made Thursday.
Segulah House approved to move forward. The board approved a conditional use permit and preliminary large-scale development plan for a supportive residential community for up to six women who have completed rehabilitation programs. The proposal includes six residences and a community building constructed from modified steel shipping containers on a 27-acre property near West Fork.
The applicant described a place where women can continue their recovery while working toward employment and independent living, with staff support on site. Plans include connections to West Fork water and sewer and an on-site pond for fire protection. The board clarified that the approval is limited to six women; increasing that number would require further approval. Final development approval is still required before the project becomes operational.
Highway 112 excavation approved despite neighborhood concerns. The board approved both a high-intensity conditional use permit and preliminary development plan to excavate approximately 19.1 acres of a 27.12-acre property. Material removed from the site is to be used solely for the Highway 112 widening project.
The proposal anticipates up to 200 trucks entering and leaving the property daily, with work between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Work is expected to take about 12 months, with an 18-month limit unless an extension is granted. Excavation would begin on the eastern portion, accessed from Highway 112. A second area, accessed from Salem Road, may also be used if needed.
A nearby resident raised concerns about truck safety, dust, tree removal, the appearance of the property after excavation, and what future development might follow. The applicant described plans for tree buffers, water trucks for dust control, and stabilization and revegetation. Staff clarified that this approval covers the temporary excavation operation; future uses beyond what is otherwise allowed would require additional review. Final development approval will also be required.
Subdivision and property-line changes approved. The board approved the McCullough minor subdivision, separating two existing homes onto individual lots, along with replats in the Johnlil and Wedington Woods subdivisions. Discussion of the Wedington Woods property included a possible future conversion of an existing church into a duplex. That conversion was not approved Thursday and would require a separate conditional use application.
Bill Spence facility receives conditional final approval. The board granted final development approval for the current office/storage and operations facility, subject to planning conditions. An unpermitted wastewater holding tank must remain unused, indoor plumbing cannot be used, and portable toilets must be provided and routinely serviced. A larger building and pole barn shown as future additions were not included in this approval and would require separate review.
📊 Washington County Jail Data Dashboard
⚖️ Detention Center Data. Read the most recent Inmate
Population Analysis HERE.
Read the Detainee Summary HERE.
Sheriff’s Office reports — October 30, 2026
705 people in jail · 325 held pretrial
People currently detained had spent an average of 197 days in jail. The reported high population count was 707.
Population breakdown | People |
Pretrial detainees | 325 |
State prisoners | 238 |
Federal prisoners | 84 |
Men | 620 |
Women | 85 |
Listed as experiencing homelessness | 93 |
These figures underscore the need to examine detention lengths, state-prison transfers, and opportunities for appropriate pretrial release with support and supervision as part of addressing overcrowding.
🔎 Public Data Resources
Detailed reports are available here:
Detainee Charge Report:https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/government/departments-f-z/sheriff/detention-information/detainee-charge-report
You can check the “Calls for Service” board here.
Here’s a list in alphabetical order to search for people.
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🧾 County Bid Postings as of 10/30/26: No new bids.
This is unusual but perhaps it’s due to the new administration coming in and end of year budget issues.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY IS HIRING!
Looking for work—or know someone who is? Washington County lists 18 job openings, including full-time careers, part-time law clerk positions, and temporary election work. Please share these opportunities with anyone who might be interested.
Position | Listed Pay |
911 Communications Specialist | $23.71/hour |
Administrative Assistant III — Emergency Management | 19.95–21.98 |
Adult Detention Officer | $21.91/hour |
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney | 76,606.40–84,448 |
Drug Court Counselor — Division IV | $24.04 |
Multilingual Juvenile Officer — Division VIII | 21.91–24.14 |
Juvenile Probation/FINS Officer — Division VIII | 21.91–24.14 |
Mechanic I — Roads | 24.38–26.86 |
Operator I — Roads (two openings) | 18.61–20.51 |
Operator III — Roads (two openings) | 20.58–22.68 |
Operator IV — Roads | 21.25–23.42 |
Law Clerk — Public Defender’s Office (part-time) | $16 |
Law Clerk — Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (part-time) | $16/hour |
Sheriff’s Maintenance Technician | $23.71/hour |
Systems Administrator — IT | 73,444.80–80,953.60 |
Election Poll Worker (temporary) | $14/hour |
All positions are full-time unless otherwise noted, and all are listed as open until filled. Pay is reproduced as listed; check the individual postings for pay periods, qualifications, duties, and application instructions.
View the county’s job postings and application details here. Please share these opportunities with anyone who may be interested.
See the full list and application details.
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I look forward to any questions or comments you may have.
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— Beth Coger
Justice of the Peace, District 9
Washington County Quorum Court
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