JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 11/16/2025
- Beth Coger
- Nov 16, 2025
- 5 min read
🟧 JP COGER’S WASHINGTON COUNTY UPDATE
Week of November 16, 2025 Transparency • Accountability • Fiscal Responsibility
🔍 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
🎥 Must-Watch: Finance & Budget Committee (11/12/25)
This meeting contains critical discussions on county spending, nonprofit funding, and jail-related appropriations. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/U7IMCJ7_qTE?si=SAjS76JWr35V45mw (Full Summary Coming Below)
🏛️ WASHINGTON COUNTY MEETINGS THIS WEEK
Quorum Court – Regular Meeting📅 Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025🕕 6:00 PM📍 Washington County Courthouse📺 Livestream: on the county’s YouTube Channel. Read the full Agenda here.
📌 AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
Agenda Item 8 – An Ordinance Amending Ordinance 2021-26.
This ordinance strengthens transparency and fairness in the legislative process by requiring:
JPs to submit general ordinances to the County Attorney at least 7 business days before introduction
The Court Secretary to send agendas and ordinances by the Wednesday before a meeting
Currently, agendas often arrive late Friday — giving JPs barely any time to review, request data, or consult constituents.This change is needed and overdue.
Agenda Item 10 – An Ordinance Ratifying CUP for Pup Town Doggie Daycare. Approved by the Planning Board 5–0 (10/30/25)📄 CUP documents available here.
The property is located at 4005 N. Old Wire Road, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703.
Agenda Item 11: A Resolution providing assistance to Ozark Electric in the form of “...issuance of the Revenue Bonds in the principal amount of $400,000,000 Million Dollars or such greater or lesser amount as requested by the Company…”
Agenda Item 12: An Ordinance Levying County…School DistrictTaxes for…2025”
This sets tax rates for 2025 (paid in 2026). Standard annual action — but always worth reviewing. This Ordinance is for 2025 taxes because in Arkansas we pay real estate taxes one year behind – 2025 taxes will be due in 2026.
Agenda Item 13: An Ordinance Appropriating $121,138 from Unappropriated Reserves to the Children’s Safety Center. I voted NO in committee — not because I oppose their mission (I don’t), but because Washington County has no criteria, process, or policy for allocating taxpayer dollars to nonprofits. If we fund CSC because someone has the ear of the County Judge or a JP, then:
What do we say to other nonprofits facing cuts?
Funding for the HIV Clinic — which saved lives — was cut earlier this year. That was important too, but did not get county funding.
We need a fair and transparent process.
Agenda Item 14 – An Ordinance RSAT Grant & Appropriation
RSAT grant: $284,090.76 Match requested: $94,696.92 (from county)
Let’s remember:
Feb. 2025: We accepted an RSAT grant of $355,455.75
And appropriated $575,000 from reserves for CRI
July 2025: County paid off a $36,030 vehicle for Returning Home (from Law Library Fund)
$39,000 in sheriff’s overtime at CRI to date
Total to date:
$639,546.51 in grants
$744,727.33 in county funds (assuming this passes)
Total to date: $1,384,273.51
My view: Judge Deakins may be attempting to patch over and/or mitigate some of the fallout from shutting down:
HIV Clinic
Crisis Stabilization Unit
NWA Community Correction Center (women’s prison)
Ozark Regional Transit
Entire Environmental Department
Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee
JESAP Committee
These decisions have consequences — and now he's seeing that.
Agenda Item 19.1: This ordinance establishes the county’s budget for 2026. These are your taxpayer dollars. Here’s a link to the 2026 budget with justification letters, notes from the comptroller, and more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XyL4gqRDH2BAafs_54y_TZDKhN-xuKIV/view?usp=sharing
🗳️ WASHINGTON COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION MEETINGS
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
📍 2721 S. Brink Drive, Fayetteville🟢 Both meetings are open to the public📺 Livestream: County YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpX-GrzfCvEF0PszfEr6V3Q
2:00 PM Meeting
Absentee ballots will be:
Opened
Processed
Counted
Tabulated
7:00 PM Meeting
Agenda includes:
Tabulation of early & absentee ballots
Release of unofficial early & absentee results
Tabulation of Election Day ballots
Release of unofficial Election Day results
Other election-related business
📺 MEETINGS FROM LAST WEEK
Finance & Budget Committee — 11/12/25🔗 Watch the full meeting here: link [
🟠 Children’s Safety Center Funding
Starts at 30:06
Discussion begins on ordinance to appropriate $121,138 to the Children’s Safety Center (CSC).
At 1:35:37, I asked about:
Criteria for funding nonprofits
Whether other nonprofits have a fair way to apply
Chair JP Kyle Lyons ruled my comments “not relevant.”
Vote:
NO: JP Robert Dennis, JP Beth Coger
YES: All other JPs
🟠 RSAT Grant & Matching Funds
Starts at 1:37:38
Grant total: $284,090.76
Required match (25%): $71,022.69
Match in ordinance: $94,696.92
📌 Difference: $23,674.23 in additional county funds.
At 1:40:36, Judge Deakins responded but could not explain why the match was 33% instead of 25%.
🟠 2026 County Budget Discussion
Begins at 2:01:49
Health Insurance Costs
At 2:08:55: County insurance will cost $1,000 per month per employee
🟠 Step Plan Eligibility Fix (Public Defenders)
Starts at 2:22:31
JP Lyons moves to clarify that all county employees are eligible for the Step Plan
This correction was needed because public defenders were accidentally excluded last year
As a result, three public defenders received no raise this year
Outcome: Amendment passed — a necessary fix and the fair thing to do.
🟠 Attempt to Shift Maintenance Positions
Starts at 2:32:03
JP Ecke moved to transfer 3 maintenance employees:
From: Sheriff’s Office
To: County Judge (Building & Grounds)
Vote: Motion failed.
🟠 Professional Conduct Issue
Starts at 2:40:51
JP Bruns objected to County Attorney Lester laughing during debate.
At 2:41:47 Attorney Lester attempts to explain.
At 2:43:07, Bruns says:“I will say your attitude stinks.”
A Point of Order was called — but the Chair did not rule on it.
🟠 Sheriff’s Budget – Motion to Amend
Starts at 2:55:01
I moved to remove $474,000 from the Sheriff’s Budget — because:
We have already appropriated $18.8 million+ for the “Covid Mitigation Project”
That should be enough to operate responsibly
Voters rejected the last jail expansion by a margin of 60%–40%
Result: My amendment failed.
🔵 DETENTION CENTER SNAPSHOT
Incarcerated People as of 11/16/25: 700
Listed as “homeless”: 80
Courtesy Contract Holds: 75
Hold Other Departments: 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.
County Bid Postings (as of 11/16/25)
Bid 2025-16 RFP for “Painting Service” Exterior at 100 N. College Avenue. The site of the former women’s prison. Due date: 11/10/25 at 4:00 PM. Opening date 11/12/25 at 9:00 AM.
Bid 2025-13 Bid for “Five (5) Rooftop Units” at Washington County Sheriff’s Department. Due date: 11/24/25 at 4:00 PM. Bids will be opened 11/25/25 at 9:00 AM.
Bid 2025-15 is closed but has not been awarded, at least not posted online yet.
You can view the closed bids here.
View all RFQs and bids [here].
County Job Openings (as of 11/16/25).
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.91 / HR | |
Temporary | Open Until Filled | 14/Hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.25 - $23.42/hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.25 - $23.42/hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.25 - $23.42/hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $23.71 - $26.13 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.91 - $24.14 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.91 - $24.14 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $18hr |
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.
⚫ FINAL THOUGHT
Transparency isn’t just about access to information — it’s about using that information to make better decisions for our residents. As always, thank you for staying informed and engaged.
— Beth Coger Washington County Justice of the Peace, District 9 📧ejcoger@gmail.com| 💻 bethcoger.com
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