JP Coger's Washington County UPdate
- Beth Coger
- 1 hour ago
- 8 min read
🏛️ This Week in Washington County 5/24/26
🔴⚪🔵 Memorial Day & County Schedule🔴⚪🔵
The Washington County Courthouse will be closed Monday, May 25, 2026, in observance of Memorial Day.
At the time of this publication, no county governmental meetings are listed on the county’s website for this week. The next meeting is County Services Committee scheduled for 6/1/2026, 6:00 PM, Washington County Courthouse.
This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country and the families who carry their memory forward each day.
My father served during World War II, and today I have a great-nephew serving overseas. Their service — along with the sacrifices made by so many others across generations — is a reminder that freedom is never free.
As we spend time with family and friends this weekend, may we also take a moment to reflect upon and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.
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🔍 TRANSPARENCY CORNER
Extensive Repairs Identified in Historic Armory / Old Jail Assessment
On 5/13/26, I requested a copy of the “Feasibility Study” mentioned in this Contract with Paragon Architecture related to county property at 114 N. College Avenue. Last week I received an email from Building & Grounds Superintendent, Angela Ledgerwood with this “2025-08-05 WC Armory Feasibility Study” for property at 10 S. College Avenue.
It is troubling that the county is continuing to move forward with projects such as this without any public discussions, stakeholder input, including zero quorum court discussion, and with a new administration coming onboard in seven months.
This study paints a troubling picture of the condition of the nearly 100-year-old structure. Per Paragon Architecture: “...(a) full renovation may be financially challenging.”
The building was originally constructed in 1929 and suffers from widespread deterioration, including:
Significant water intrusion in the basement, walls, ceilings, and roof areas
Deteriorated brick mortar and stone foundation walls throughout the structure
Failing windows and doors at the basement level
Roof leaks and moisture migration through interior walls
HVAC systems near or beyond the end of service life
Structural and waterproofing concerns requiring excavation around the entire building perimeter
Areas recommended for demolition due to deterioration
Multiple code deficiencies involving fire protection, stairways, egress, accessibility, and occupancy compliance
One engineering option presented would require demolition and excavation all the way down to the footing around the entire perimeter of the building in order to waterproof the deteriorated stone foundation.
The engineering consultant also warned that:
The foundation may still leak even after waterproofing due to the rough stone construction
A warranty on the waterproofing system may not even be possible
The south side of the building may be extremely difficult to excavate safely because neighboring buildings are too close
Ultimately, the engineer presented three options:
Extensive repair and waterproofing
Extensive repair plus installation of a new exterior rainscreen wall system
Demolition of the existing buildings and construction of an entirely new facility
🏡 Additional Information Provided on Genesis Ranch CUP & County Planning Enforcement
Following the May 21, 2026 Quorum Court meeting, Planning Director Dr. Sam Ata distributed this email to members of the Quorum Court providing additional information regarding the proposed Genesis Ranch Conditional Use Permit (CUP), floodplain regulations, and county enforcement of planning and zoning requirements.
📍 Genesis Ranch CUP - Staff Report
Dr. Ata confirmed that the Planning Board approved the Genesis Ranch CUP application during its April 30, 2026 meeting. The proposal involves approximately 85.58 acres located on Greasy Valley Road near Prairie Grove and is described as a:
“Multi-Family Residential – Residential Treatment Facility.”
Dr. Ata also outlined the county’s floodplain regulations and permitting requirements. According to the email:
Washington County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP),
development within designated flood hazard areas requires floodplain permitting,
and structures in flood-prone areas must generally be built at least two feet above the Base Flood Elevation under Arkansas regulations.
Dr. Ata explained that when Planning staff become aware of businesses operating without required permits, the county typically first contacts property owners and works toward voluntary compliance before pursuing enforcement action. In some cases, unresolved violations may ultimately be referred to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for enforcement.
📋 CUP Projects Brought Into Compliance by Planning Staff (2025–2026)
According to Dr. Ata’s email, the following projects and businesses were identified as examples of CUP-related compliance and enforcement efforts handled by Washington County Planning staff during 2025 and through June 2026:
2025 Projects
2025-214 — AKH Property LLC CUP
2025-292 — Rivercrest Orchard CUP
2025-371 — Poplin Automotive CUP
2025-410 — The Harriet CUP
2026 Projects
2026-087 — HS Studios CUP
2026-141 — DSD Razorback Division Dump Site High-Intensity CUP
2026-143 — Skelton CUP
Pending / TBD Projects
Long Pine K9 Boarding School Business CUP
PMI Construction Business CUP
Tyler Landscaping Business CUP
HVAC Business CUP
Insulation & Towing Business CUP
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🏛️ Last Week in Washington County
The Washington County Quorum Court held its regular monthly meeting Thursday 5/21/26. It was very well orchestrated. Watch the full meeting and see and hear votes HERE.
Here a time-stamped summary of the meeting.
Highlights:
Item 8: Property Assessed Capital Expenditure Act Ordinance - Ordinance read first time. Motion to move to second reading failed. Voting against moving to second reading: JPs Leming, Ricker, Bruns, Massingill and Dean. JP Wilson was absent. All other JPs voted in favor.
Item 9: Ordinance Amending the Community Rebuilding Initiative (CRI) 2026 Budget. This discussion starts at 15:36 in the video above. During the discussion, I again asked a question I originally raised on April 7, 2026: under what appropriation ordinance had more than $44,000 already been paid to Arisa Health/Ozark Guidance during 2026?
Rather than directly answering the question, Judge Patrick Deakins gave me a word salad. He was a bully, defensive, disrespectful and dismissive (I was hoping after the well-conducted and professional May QC meeting, that we were past that. We are not) and still did not identify the appropriation authority I was requesting. My question was not whether mental health services are important — they absolutely are. My question was simply whether the expenditures had been properly appropriated and under what ordinance authority those payments were being made, and is this CRI the best use of taxpayer dollars?
During public comment, a citizen specifically pointed out that I had only asked a straightforward question regarding county process and appropriations and criticized the failure to answer it. I appreciated that very much. Transparency and accountability require more than assurances that “controls are in place.” They require direct answers to direct questions — especially when taxpayer dollars are involved.
I voted against this funding because the CRI is a pet project that might check some boxes, but it does not produce the results we need in Washington County. It is not the best use of taxpayer dollars. Read the 2020 Criminal Justice Assessment Study HERE and learn about real justice reforms.
Item 10: A resolution requiring Stewart Family Christmas Lights, LLC, Etal, to cease operations and go through the Conditional Use Permit process. This resolution was discussed at last month’s meeting. Read that summary HERE.
I understand and respect the concerns raised by nearby residents regarding traffic congestion, safety, emergency access, and the impact on surrounding property owners. Those concerns are real and something needs to be done - should have been done a long time ago. It's shameful that this violation has continued for so long.
I voted against the resolution because I do not believe that is the proper way to address those issues. If the resolution had been directed to the County Judge and County Attorney/Sheriff to take action to actually enforce the laws we already have, I would have certainly voted for that. That's what they should have done when approached by citizens. I think JP Massingill's resolution did finally get them to take action.
We already have existing legal processes and policies for enforcement that should be followed consistently rather than the Quorum Court adopting a targeted resolution directed at one specific property owner or business.
My vote was not an endorsement of ignoring county regulations. Rather, it reflected my belief that government should just do its job and apply rules fairly, consistently, and through the proper legal channels already available under county code.
(HERE) is the ordinance with our enforcement procedures, process, penalties, etc. set out therein. We should just follow that and no resolution would be necessary.
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📊 Washington County Jail Data Dashboard
⚖️ Detention Center Data
Snapshot Date: May 23, 2026
Individuals Incarcerated in WCDC: 694
Homeless/Unsheltered: 72
🔎 Public Data Resources
Detailed reports are available here:
Detainee 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.
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🧾 County Bid Postings (as of 05/23/26):
ACTIVE BIDS:
Bid 2026-12 - Fuel Island Canopy. Bids due: 4:00 pm 5/25/26 (Memorial Day). Proposals Opened 5/26/26, 9:00 AM, Fifth Floor Conference Room, Washington County Courthouse.
Bid 2026-11 - Ended - Razing of Structure located at 19443 Nob Hill Road/Loop, WC 389. Read Bid Tabulations and Sign In Sheet HERE.
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🧑💼Here are the Washington County Job Openings as of 05/23/26
I have never seen this many vacancies in a single county department at one time — twelve (12) open positions in the Road Department.
Full Time | 06/05/2026 4:30 PM | $21.25-$23.42 | |
Full Time | 06/05/2026 4:30 PM | $21.25-$23.42 | |
Full Time | 05/23/2026 | $33.70-$37.14 (D.O.E) | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $18.61 - $20.51 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $18.61 - $20.51 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.91 / HR | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | 24.38 - 26.86/hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $76,606.40 - $84,448 | |
Temporary | Open Until Filled | 14/Hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.25 - $23.42/hr | |
Full Time | 06/05/2026 4:30 PM | $25.40 - $28 | |
Full Time | 05/29/2026 4:30 PM | $29.92-$32.98 | |
Full Time | 06/05/2026 4:30 PM | $18.61-$20.51 | |
Full Time | 05/29/2026 4:30 PM | $18.61-$20.51 | |
Full Time | 05/29/2026 4:30 PM | $18.61-$20.51 | |
Full Time | 06/05/2026 4:30 PM | $18.61-$20.51 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $18.61-$20.51 | |
Full Time | 06/05/2026 4:30 PM | $19.95-$21.98 | |
Full Time | 05/29/2026 4:30 PM | $19.95-$21.98 | |
Full Time | 06/05/2026 4:30 PM | $20.58-$22.68 | |
Part Time | Open Until Filled | 16.50 |
Please share this list!
View and apply for job openings HERE. ___________________________________________________________
Washington County continues to face major decisions involving spending, infrastructure, criminal justice, and long-term planning. The more informed and engaged the public is, the better the government works. Thank you for continuing to read, ask questions, attend meetings, and help shine light on issues that affect our community.
I also want to wish everyone a peaceful Memorial Day weekend. May we take time to remember and honor the men and women who gave everything in service to this country. Their sacrifice should never be forgotten.
— Beth Coger
Justice of the Peace, District 9
Washington County Quorum Court