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JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 2/8/26

📅 Week of: February 8, 2026 📍 Washington County, Arkansas


🔎 Equity Doesn’t Wait for a Budget Cycle


All meetings, with the exception of the Washington County Election Commission, are at the WC Courthouse, 280 N. College, Fayetteville, Arkansas.                    _________________________________________________________

🟠 Finance & Budget Committee Tuesday, February 10, 2026 — 6:00 PM 📍 Read the agenda HERE.

What to Expect:

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🟠Washington County Election Commission Monday, 2/9/26, 9:00 AM, 2721 S. Brink Drive, Fayetteville, Arkansas


Read Full Agenda HERE 

Includes Poll Worker Notice Amendment to Add Additional Poll Workers

Meetings are live-streamed on the County Election Commission’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpX-GrzfCvEF0PszfEr6V3Q

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🟠Washington County Planning and Zoning Board Thursday 2/12/26, 5:00 PM - Read Planning & Zoning Agenda HERE.


CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (CUPs) HEARINGS:

  1. Gene George School Communication Tower CUP, 18127 Deer Rd WC 547, Fayetteville, Arkansas.


COUNTY LAND DEVELOPMENT HEARINGS:


  1. CSCDC Minor Subdivision, 270 Main St., Winslow, Arkansas 72959

  2. Kirik Minor Subdivision, 12413 Rocky Hill Rd wC 403, Prairie Grove, Arkansas 72753

  3. Woolsey Wood Preliminary Large Scale Development Phase I, 15256 Woolsey Rd WC 35, West Fork, Arkansas 72774.

  4. Sonora Oversized Storage Final Large Scale Development, 17401 E Hwy 412, Springdale, Arkansas 72764.

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🟠🏘️ SPECIAL QUORUM COURT MEETING - LAND USE & ZONING- O’BRIEN READY MIX CUP APPEAL


📅 Thursday, 2/12/26, immediately following the 5:00 PM Planning Board meeting.  Read the Special Meeting Agenda HERE.


📍 Project / Location:  Special Quorum Court Meeting - Appeal of O’Brien Ready Mix Facility CUP, 16234 W Hwy 62, Prairie Grove, AR 72753.  Two parcels +/- 7.42 acres.



UPDATED FILINGS: It appears from these filings that O'Brien is attempting to dismiss the Appellant's appeal, but please read for yourself:






MEETINGS FROM LAST WEEK:



County Services Committee 2/2/26.  You can watch the full meeting HERE.

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


You must watch the video to understand everything that happened at the meeting.


🏭 Senate Bill 361 & Industrial Development Authorities — Why This Is Concerning



A significant portion of the meeting focused on Senate Bill 361, which would allow the creation of Industrial Development Authorities (IDAs). I find this proposal deeply concerning.

SB361 would permit counties to create a “separate entity and body corporate” with broad powers to operate independently of the Quorum Court. In practical terms, this means delegating away legislative authority—including decisions that affect public assets, long-term obligations, and county policy (like zoning and planning)—to a body that is not directly accountable to voters.


During the meeting, I described the powers granted to IDAs as “almost limitless,” and I stand by that assessment.  


Because of these concerns, I made a motion to postpone the measure indefinitely, which would have effectively ended consideration of it. That motion did not receive sufficient support, as a majority of my colleagues did not agree with my position.

It is also worth noting that, in an email to the Quorum Court, County Attorney Brian Lester raised his own concerns, also finding, “…I think there are some serious red flags with this Act.” 


To ensure clarity and transparency, I have prepared a detailed list of citations—by page and line number of the Act—showing exactly where the provisions I referenced during the meeting appear in the legislation, along with additional sections that merit close review.


To clarify some questions about the number of members on the IDA board of directors, County Attorney Lester states, in response to my email: "JP Coger: It is possible that should the population of Benton County increase, it would support increasing the number of members of the IDA for Benton County."


This is not a small procedural issue. It represents a fundamental shift in who governs and how decisions are made, and it deserves far more scrutiny before moving forward.

The ordinance was continued until the next County Services meeting, Monday, 3/2/26 at 6:00 PM.  If you have concerns about this, please contact me and all the JPs and let us know. 


🏛️ Transparency Corner: Public Records


📌 Second Lease Amendment Washington County and the Arkansas Department of Corrections, 10 South College Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas

📌Wright, Lindsey & Jennings OUTSIDE COUNSEL Representation Agreement with Washington County Mayfield v. WC Etal illegal exaction lawsuit.

💰 FOLLOW THE MONEY


📜 Contract 2026-52   Washington County & Nabholz / Struct Steel Demo @ Courtroom.  • Original: $98,410.00 • New Total: $155,068.50 Increase: $56,658.50; Percentage Increase +57.57%


📜   Order by Judge Deakins Changing Fund Number for “Law Library Fund” from 3402 to 6009, Per Legislative Financial Manual.  Amount Transferred:  $331,241.32 and pay invoice of $4,193.00 to Lexis Nexis

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🚔 CRIMINAL JUSTICE & DETENTION SNAPSHOT


  • 📍 Detention Center Data 

  •  Incarcerated as of 2/7/26:  751 (Dangerously high - 11 More Than Last Week!)  (Everyone in Washington County should be concerned about this)

  •  Homeless or Unsheltered:  86 = 12% of total (Same # as Last Week)

  •  Sleeping on Floor:  168

  •  309 Inmates:  35

  •  Covid:  0  Quarantine 0

  •  People Held for Federal Government:  79

  •  People Held for Immigration:  5

  • Here is a link to a Google Sheet where you can sort data and get lots of important information.

  • More information on people incarcerated in our jail:  Detainee Summary   and Inmate Population Analysis


                                   

  • 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 02/08/26):  


Bid 2026-04  Sheriff Fleet and/or Outfitting.  Bid posted 1/23/26; Questions Due:  2/23/26; Bids Due 2/9/26 at 4:00 PM

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


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

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I was told last week that four people were recently fired from the IT Department.  One was a 23-year employee of the county.

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📣 WHAT YOU CAN DO


✅ Attend a meeting ✅ Submit public comment ✅ Email elected officials ✅ Share this 


 
 
 

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