JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 2/15/26

Beth Coger
Feb 15
5 min read

Updated: Feb 15

📅 Week of: February 15, 2026 📍 Washington County, Arkansas

🔎 Equity Doesn’t Wait for a Budget Cycle

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🏛️ Community & Civic Engagement This Week

This week I had the honor of officiating multiple weddings, including two at the jail, speaking to the Leadership Fayetteville Class about the quorum court and what it does, and updating my OLLI group about SB361 (Industrial Development Authorities).

I was also honored to serve as Chair for Thursday’s Special Quorum Court meeting. I appreciate Judge Deakins asking me to preside, and I am grateful for the assistance and guidance of County Attorney Brian Lester throughout the meeting.

Thank you, Lou Reed Sharp, for this photo

JP Dennis introduced me to two young ladies attending the Quorum Court meeting—so encouraging to see. Youth engagement matters, because the decisions made in that room will shape the county they inherit.

Only One Public Meeting Posted as of 2/14/26 12:03 PM

🟠 Washington County Quorum Court, Regular Monthly Meeting, Thursday, February 19, 2026 — 6:00 PM 📍 Read the agenda HERE.

Livestream/Meeting Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/washcoar

🏛️ WHAT TO EXPECT

Washington County Quorum Court Meeting

🎤 STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS

Patrick Deakins Washington County Judge

♻️ CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS (CUPs)

Ordinance Denying Vaughn Recycling CUP (Sponsored by JP Kyle Lyons - Per Ordinance)

VIEW THE JANUARY 8, 2026 SPECIAL MEETING HERE (CUP granted)

READ BACKGROUND HERE.

Ordinance Denying Gulley Ranch CUP Sponsored by Gary Ricker

VIEW THE JANUARY 15, 2026 REGULAR QUORUM COURT MEETING HERE (CUP denied)

READ BACKGROUND HERE.

📊 FINANCIAL UPDATE

Carryover & Revenue Projections: 💰 $7,621,908.51

📜 CONTRACT APPROPRIATION

$6,517.00 Contract With Arkansas Association of Counties

BACKGROUND: For context, this issue was raised during the 2/10/26 Finance & Budget Committee meeting (watch HERE)). Beginning at 1:08:28, I attempted to explain why Washington County is currently the only county in Arkansas operating under a separate “special agreement” with the Arkansas Association of Counties (AAC).

This situation arose after County Judge Patrick Deakins initiated an inquiry into Assessor Russell Hill regarding certain expenditures, including popcorn purchases and booth rentals. Assessor Hill sought independent legal guidance from the AAC, and AAC attorney Lindsey French issued a written opinion concluding that no violation had occurred.

That opinion was later met with objections from county officials, including Judge Deakins and Deputy County Attorney Catherine Baker, and a retraction was requested. That did not happen and a new policy or special agreement was agreed to by the AAC and Judge Deakins Etal.

Not everyone agrees with my interpretation and recitation of this information; so, for those who wish to review the record and form your own opinion, I have linked a few of the relevant documents below:

• Baker request for retraction – See HERE • Explanation of “new policy” by AAC Executive Director Chris Villines – HERE • Letter from AAC Attorney Mark Whitmore to JP Coger – HERE • Correspondence denying Assessor Hill of AAC representation concern lease of vehicles – HERE . That should not be controversial. • FOIA request from Judge Deakins to AAC –HERE

• Email from Judge Deakins to AAC stating, “I mourn this whole issue and the lasting impact it seems it will have…” – HERE

When I began presenting this background to provide clarity for the committee and the public, a Point of Order was raised by JP Lisa Ecke, and the Chair ruled that I was out of order. I heard someone say, “Not True” (referring to my statement about Assessor Hill), but their microphone wasn’t on so that’s not in the video. Earlier in the discussion (1:06:47), JP David Wilson had also raised a Point of Order asserting that I was speaking outside the scope of the ordinance; the Chair ruled in his favor. I appealed that ruling, but a majority voted to sustain the Chair.

As a result, the committee and the community did not hear the full context behind the county’s unique arrangement with the AAC. Regardless of one’s position on the underlying dispute, the public deserves a complete explanation of how and why this agreement came to exist.

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MEETINGS FROM LAST WEEK:

Finance & Budget 2/10/26 . You can watch the full meeting HERE.

I prepared a short transcript of the meeting which you may read HERE.

🟧 COVID Mitigation Project — Where Is the Data?

I requested this report be included in the agenda. I sought a detailed, contract-by-contract financial update on the COVID Mitigation Project, including:

Original Contract Sums
Total Change Orders approved to date
New Contract Sums
Percentage increases or decreases
Total payments made to date

Instead, the court received this brief summary stating that Buildings & Grounds/Comptroller “expects to complete the project $400K to $500K under budget.”

An expectation is not a financial report. Remember, this is a $20M+ project!

If the project is projected to come in under budget, that conclusion should be supported by clear contract totals, individual documented change orders, and payments to date. The Quorum Court has a responsibility to appropriate funds and exercise oversight. We cannot do that effectively without complete information.

I will continue requesting the detailed information necessary for proper oversight and will provide a more complete update soon - when I receive the requested information.

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🏛️ Transparency Corner: Public Records

📌 Contract 2026-64 - Master Security Services Agreement

📌 Washington County Juvenile Detention Center Report - Thank you Director Christopher Tinsley for all your hard work on this. I love how detailed it is.

📌 Motion for Relief to File Reply and Reply of Washington County to Mayfield’s illegal exaction lawsuit.

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🚔 CRIMINAL JUSTICE & DETENTION SNAPSHOT

📍 Detention Center Data
Number Incarcerated Last Three Days 2/13/26 - 2/15/26: 109
Number Released Last Three Days: 56
Incarcerated as of 2/15/26: 735
Homeless or Unsheltered: 78

📊 Jail Population & Housing Instability

Today, 735 individuals are in the Washington County Detention Center. Of those, 78 — approximately 10.6% — are listed as homeless or unsheltered.

That means more than 1 in 10 people in our jail lack stable housing.

This raises an important policy question: are we using our most expensive public safety resource to address housing instability? As we evaluate jail capacity and operating costs, these numbers underscore the need to consider housing, pretrial services, and diversion strategies as part of our future policies - if we want to see change.

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 02/15/26):

Bid 2026-05 Plastic Tile Road Department. Bid posted 2/6/26; Questions Due: 2/17/26; Bids Due 2/23/26 at 4:00 PM. Opening: 2/24/26

Bid 2026-06 Metal Tiles for Road Department. Bid posted 2/6/26; Questions Due: 2/17/26; Bids Due 2/23/26 at 4:00 PM. Opening: 2/24/26

Bid 2026-07 QUARTERLY BLASTING SERVICE TO BE CONDUCTED AT WASHINGTON COUNTY QUARRY, 16150 South HWY 45 Canehill, AR 72717. Bid posted 2/13/26; Interpretations/Questions 2/24/26 at 2:00 PM; Bids Due 3/2/26 4:00 PM; Opening: 3/3/26 9:00 AM

You can view the closed bids here. View all RFQs and bids [here].

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🧑‍💼Here are the Washington County Job Openings as of 2/15/26

There are some good job opportunities available - check them out and share!