JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 12/21/25
- Beth Coger
- Dec 21, 2025
- 7 min read
Week of December 21, 2025
🎄 Washington County Courthouse Closure Notice
The Washington County Courthouse will be CLOSED Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, December 24–26, and will reopen Monday, December 29. 🦌
(A separate ordinance to approve the Friday closing PASSED at the full quorum court meeting Thursday)
📅 GOVERNMENTAL MEETINGS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, WEEK 12/21/25:
There will be a Special Meeting of the Washington County Quorum Court Monday, 12/22/2025, 6:00 PM, Washington County Courthouse. The special meeting is to hear appeals of the Gulley Ranch Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and the O’Brien Ready Mix CUP.
Here’s the agenda for the Special Meeting with information about the Gulley Ranch CUP and the O’Brien Ready Mix CUP.
As a reminder, here is the new zoning ordinance that was adopted back in August. Here’s a list of the criteria that the Quorum Court will use to make its decision.
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🏛️ Transparency Corner: Public Records
As part of my commitment to transparency and accountability, I am sharing publicly available county documents and contracts that provide context for county actions and spending. While these records are open to the public, many are not easily accessible to the public without visiting the courthouse in person, most taxpayers are not able to do that.
First, an update on the lawsuit Kelsey Boggan V. Deakins Etal, Complaint over appointments to the Law Library Board and use of statutorily controlled Law Library Funds. All defendants have answered and a special judge has been appointed.
Order Sole Source Procurement for Community Alternative Program (CAP). Conclusion: “...Returning Home is a sole source provider for the CAP program…”
Contract for Medical Services at the Washington County Detention Center. $2,635,950. There was no new bid posting for this, even though county residents pushed hard for the contract to be rebid.
Per Capital Jail Fee Agreement between Springdale and Washington County. There are identical agreements (varying amounts) with other municipalities. Springdale’s share for 2026 is $61,189.02 based on 2020 population estimates. See 2026 amounts for each municipality here.
Subcontract Change Order for CMP for concrete $0.00. This resulted in a NET $0 change to the contract amount.
Order approving the purchase of “new equipment for Washington County Buildings & Grounds $55,383.00. This is for "Electrical Repairs” for the former women’s prison located at 100 N. College Avenue for CRI 2 for electrical grounding, boiler flue repair, thermostatic bypass valve, chiller repairs and electrical repairs.
SpyGlass Snapshot Audit Agreement. No amount because it’s based only on whether the county accepts auditor recommendations and implements them within 12 months. See Paragraph 2 for details.
Nabholz RFI#77 Cricket Conflicts. Raise plumbing vent and gas as required to accommodate for the cricket added. Cost Impact: Yes (Unknown)
Nabholz Subcontract Change Order for Plumbing CMP. $1,545.00. Previous authorized change orders $139,956.00. New contract sum: $1,128,249.00.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK:
🟠 The regular monthly meeting of the Washington County Quorum Court was held Thursday, 12/18/25 at 6:00 pm. You can watch the meeting on the county’s YouTube Channel here.
At 4:50 in the video, Judge Deakins ruled me “out of order.” I spoke when I was not recognized by the chair, but I had asked to be recognized and the chair had ignored me. What am I supposed to do? In any event, I think this is the fastest that I have ever been ruled “out of order” in my almost three years on the court.
💼 Item 8.1: An Ordinance Establishing the Annual Budget for 2026 PASSED with two dissenting votes: JP Coger and JP Leming. Here you can find the most recently updated spreadsheet with details about the 2026 Budget.
Some Reasons Why I Voted No
• Additional Sheriff’s Office Spending
I heard directly from constituents who are concerned about nearly $474,000 allocated for shelving, supplies, and related costs tied to the so-called COVID Mitigation Unit. This comes after more than $18.8 million (actually over $20M) was already approved for the Sheriff’s Office. I attempted to amend the budget to remove this line item, but did not have sufficient support.
• Expansion of the Community Rebuilding Initiative (CRI)
The budget continues to expand CRI, including eight new deputy positions in the Sheriff’s Office. The county has already invested substantial taxpayer dollars in this program, yet accountability and demonstrated outcomes remain limited. I am also concerned that this program may actually increase pretrial time for some individuals.
• No Investment in Proven Justice Reforms
Despite clear evidence, this budget does not invest in Pretrial Services, which are proven to reduce jail populations, improve court outcomes, and save taxpayer money. In 2020, Washington County paid for a Criminal Justice Assessment Study by the National Center for State Courts, which identified pretrial detention as the largest driver of our jail population. Five years later—and after three years on the court—no meaningful action has been taken.
When our spending does not align with proven solutions or our community’s greatest needs, it raises serious questions about our priorities — and for those reasons, I did not vote to approve the budget.
Failure to do anything about our jail overcrowding is not right or reasonable.
🚨 Item 9.1: An Ordinance Receiving $542,102 from the Department of Emergency Management Grant from the State of Arkansas DEM. PASSED This is a grant from the State of Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. Here is an Order and Quote from ICOR Technology for $81,274.51 for equipment for the Washington County DEM.
I do not know if the money for the above is coming from this DEM Grant or from another source, but I am sharing it here only because it involves substantial taxpayer dollars.
🏗️ Item 10.1: Amendment to Ordinance 2025-44 (Zoning Ordinance)
Clarifies that appellants—(in Conditional Use Permit appeals)—are responsible for notifying adjoining property owners of hearings and appeals. PASSED
💲 Item 11.1: Employee Insurance Fund Appropriation
An ordinance appropriating $1,100,000 from General Fund reserves to the Employee Insurance Fund for 2025. PASSED
🏛️ Item 12.1 — Eaglecrest Settlement Ordinance ($500,000) PASSED
I opposed this ordinance during the Finance & Budget Committee meeting and voted No, along with JP Robert Massingill. We were also the only two dissenting votes at the full Quorum Court meeting.
My opposition is grounded in federal guidance stating that reasonable accommodations must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are not required if they impose an undue burden on local government or fundamentally alter a zoning scheme. (See: Joint Statement Of The Department Of Justice And The Department Of Housing And Urban Development)
The preliminary injunction agreed to by the county and all parties—submitted to the court without testimony or evidentiary findings—prevents the county from requiring Eaglecrest to obtain a Conditional Use Permit in this instance. However, it does not require the county to abandon its broader planning and zoning authority. Our zoning laws remain in place, and the county should retain the ability to impose reasonable conditions to protect neighbors, residents, and the facility itself, including its clients.
Approving this settlement as written sets a concerning precedent, weakens land-use integrity, and increases the risk that future applicants will seek similar exemptions.
For these reasons, I did not support this ordinance.
🌿 Item 13.1: An Ordinance Approving CUP for Wellspring Retreat. PASSED
🧭 Item 14.1: An Ordinance Approving CUP for The Harriet Project. PASSED
🏗️ Item 15.1: An Ordinance Approving CUP for Poplin Automotive. PASSED
🔵 DETENTION CENTER SNAPSHOT
Incarcerated People as of 12/19/25: 691
Listed as “unsheltered”: 78
More information on people incarcerated in our jail: Detainee Summary and Inmate Population Analysis
Here’s the link to the Detailed 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.
County Bid Postings (as of 12/21/25)
Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 2025-01. Due: 12/29/25 @ 4:00 PM RFQ for Architectural Services — Questions Remain
This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeks architectural services for floor plan recreation, renovation concepts, and potential feasibility studies of existing county-owned buildings, including assessments of structural integrity and proposed updates.
I am concerned this RFQ may include plans to repurpose the former Community Corrections Center (women’s facility)(a/k/a "CRI 2") into a Community Rebuilding Initiative program for women. At this time, however, no specific funding has been appropriated for CRI 2, and no feasibility study has been approved to evaluate the costs, operational requirements, or long-term impacts of such a use.
Without that analysis, it is unclear whether this proposal would function as a true alternative to incarceration or simply continue jail-bed capacity under a different name. Earlier this year, I introduced an ordinance to require a feasibility study before moving forward with any such repurposing, but it did not advance out of committee.
Meanwhile, extensive renovations have already begun at the former women’s prison. Residents deserve clear answers about what work is being done, under whose authority, and how it is being funded. See, also, this Order.
You can view the closed bids here.
View all RFQs and bids [here].
Washington County Job Openings (as of 12/21/25).
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 | $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.
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