JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 2/22/26

Beth Coger
Feb 22
6 min read

Updated: Feb 22

📅 Week of: February 22, 2026 📍 Washington County, Arkansas

🔎 Equity Doesn’t Wait for a Budget Cycle

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🏛️ Community & Civic Engagement

On the first day of early voting, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by seventeen journalism students from the University of Arkansas, alongside Fayetteville Council Member Sarah Moore and Sheriff Jay Cantrell. The students posed thoughtful questions about the election, civic participation, jail overcrowding, and other issues affecting Washington County. I am grateful to Council Member Moore and Sheriff Cantrell for sharing their time, and I left inspired by the next generation of engaged citizens.

Awesome Early Voting Numbers: Total votes cast in Washington County through 2/21/26: 5,256; Total Democratic Ballots: 2,382; Total Republican Ballots: 2,647; Total Nonpartisan Ballots: 227.

Last Day to Early Vote is Monday, March 2, 2026.

Hours on the Last Day to Early Vote are: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The only location open on that date will be the Washington County Courthouse.

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No Washington County public meetings this week - at least as of 2/22/22 at 1:02 PM

📢 Industrial Development Authority Ordinance

The proposed ordinance establishing an Industrial Development Authority is currently scheduled for further consideration at the County Services Committee meeting on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 6:00 PM, at the Washington County Courthouse.

MEETINGS FROM LAST WEEK:

🟠 Washington County Quorum Court, Regular Monthly Meeting, Thursday, February 19, 2026. Watch the full meeting HERE.

Read a summary transcript of the meeting HERE.

Washington County Quorum Court — Highlights (Feb. 19, 2026)

✅ Actions Taken

Agenda updated: Item 8 (a CUP-related ordinance) was removed after it was explained the Quorum Court had already passed the needed ordinance previously.
State of the County address: Judge Deakins delivered a “State of the County” report focused on “building,” highlighting the Emergency Operations Center, the ARPA-funded COVID Mitigation Project at the jail, CRI, and calls to modernize planning/zoning codes and pursue local tax relief measures.

🗣️ Public Comment Highlights

Jail project transparency + overcrowding: Sarah Moore (Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition) thanked the county for the jail project update but urged detailed written reporting showing “actuals vs. bid” for the many bid packages and raised concerns about large overruns in certain packages. She also urged urgent policy action related to overcrowding and diversion strategies.
Rural road safety: Speakers raised concerns about speeding and safety on Little Elm Road and other rural roads, requesting traffic studies and speed limit reviews—especially with increased heavy truck traffic.

🗳️ Key Votes & Outcomes

Item 9 — Gully Ranch CUP (Denial Ordinance): PASSED The Quorum Court adopted an ordinance denying the Conditional Use Permit for the Gully Ranch project after extensive discussion focused on compatibility and the seven CUP criteria, with multiple speakers noting the issue is already being litigated.
Item 10 — Budget ordinance (corrected grant figures): PASSED (unanimous) Adopted after the Comptroller’s Office identified an error and provided corrected totals.
Item 11 — Law Enforcement Grant Fund amendment: PASSED (unanimous)
Item 12 — $6,517.00 ContractArkansas Association of Counties (ACC) membership/services contract ($6,517): PASSED Discussion centered on a practice change where AAC may refer certain legal questions back to the County Attorney when Washington County has a full-time civil county attorney office. JPs Coger and Bruns – No. All Other JPs: Yes.

➡️ What this means: The County will maintain its membership in the Arkansas Association of Counties (AAC), including participation in the risk management pool that provides defense in certain lawsuits. The discussion also highlighted broader concerns about legal process and the separation of powers among elected officials.

• Correspondence denying Assessor Hill of AAC representation concerns lease of vehicles – HERE . Assessor Hill’s request for legal advice did not involve litigation, yet ACC said this: “Pursuant to our newly adopted policy with Washington County, I must refer you to your County Attorney’s Office.”

I voted no due to the County’s new policy requiring that all legal inquiries to AAC be routed through the County Attorney’s Office. In my view, this change raises concerns about the independence of elected officials in seeking legal guidance. When County Judge Deakins asked about my vote after the meeting, I explained that this policy was the basis for my opposition and I saw it as a form of control. I regret not making that clear before I voted.

🔎 What to watch next

The Gully Ranch vote signals the county remains divided on how “compatibility,” “harmony,” and other criteria are applied in CUP decisions—especially as the matter moves deeper into litigation. Separately, public comments show growing pressure for clear, written financial reporting on the ARPA jail project and for the county to address overcrowding with both operational updates and policy solutions. Watch for: (1) next steps in the Gully Ranch court case, (2) whether the Quorum Court receives a detailed bid-package breakdown for the jail project, and (3) whether rural road safety concerns turn into traffic studies or speed-limit changes.

🏛️ Transparency Corner: Public Records

📌 Order to Auction Surplus Real Property - Washington County, as a member of the Washington County Regional Ambulance Authority (WCRAA) Board, issued this order to auction WCRAA property at 4705 E. Gulley Road as “surplus real property” and that it is now available for auction under the procedures outlined in Ark. Code Ann. § 14-16-106. WCRAA purchased this property in 2015 for $25,000.00. Here is more information from Washington County Assessor Russell Hill’s Property Records.

📌 FOIA Request County Attorney Lester to JP Coger. “Last night you read from an email between Russell Hill and the AAC. Pursuant to FOIA, I am requesting all communication between you and Russell Hill for the past 6 months.” I will share my response in next week’s update.

💵 Follow the Money

📌 Contract 2026-84 Inmate Transfer Agreement with Arkansas Division of Correction. This is pursuant to Act 309 of 1983. See 12 CAR § 60-312 for rules and regulations.

📌 Contract between Washington County and Heartland Business Systems, LLC in the amount of $99,393.75 purchased from Tips Contract 220105. Re: Washington County Information Systems.

📌 Contract 2026-85 Agreement with Keystone Executive Partners, LLC to provide certain services at the rate of $57.11 per hour, including but not limited to: ⇊

Create four (4) new job descriptions

Collect and review market data relevant to these positions

Make salary recommendations for these positions based on relevant comparators.

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🚔 CRIMINAL JUSTICE & DETENTION SNAPSHOT

📍 Detention Center Data
Number Incarcerated Last Three Days 2/18/26 - 2/21/26: 118
Number Incarcerated & Released Last Three Days: 63
Incarcerated as of 2/21/26: 751

📊 Jail Population & Housing Instability

Today, 751 (extremely high) individuals are in the Washington County Detention Center. My website that I use to sort data is down today, so I cannot give the number of homeless or unsheltered.

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 02/21/26):

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

Bid 2026- 08 RFP for Drug Testing - Circuit Court Div. 4. Bid posted 2/19/26; Questions Due: 3/2/26 @ 2:00 PM; Bids Due 3/9/26 at 4:00 PM; Bids Opened: 3/10/26

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 2/21/26

Includes, but not limited to, new postings for “Team Lead Officer - Intake” Division VII, Salary $58,697.60 - $64,708.80; three new positions for Trainee/Laborer Roads, Salary $18.61 - $20.51; and Road Dept. MEchanic - 1, Salary $24.38 - $26.86.

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