JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 8/31/25
- Beth Coger
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
THINGS TO KNOW:
➽ Washington County Quorum Court County Services Committee meets Tuesday, 9/2/25, 6:00 PM, Washington County Courthouse, 280 N. College, Fayetteville, Arkansas. This is an in person meeting only. The meeting will be live streamed here on the county’s YouTube channel.
Here is the agenda.
⚠ Note: RES Group’s Wind Project presentation is not on the official agenda. I’ve been informed JP Ecke will move to amend the agenda to add this item, but it will require a ⅔ vote.
Public Comment:
At the end of the meeting (12 minutes total; 3 minutes per speaker).
Another 12-minute comment period occurs before any ordinance or resolution vote.
AGENDA ITEMS I AM HIGHLIGHTING:
Item 7. DISCUSSION OF THE COUNTY’S INTERNAL INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF MISUSE OF COUNTY PROPERTY AT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
Washington County residents deserve to know:
What happened
What corrective actions are being taken
How we will prevent it from happening again
Did people incarcerated at the WCDC suffer because of this?
Anything less is a failure of leadership.
The misuse of county property is not a minor issue—it is a serious abuse of public trust. County resources belong to the taxpayers, not to individuals for personal use or convenience. When public property is misused, it is not just poor judgment; it is a violation of the responsibility that comes with holding a position of authority.
I want to make it clear that I like Sheriff Cantrell personally and know he has a good heart. But this is not about personalities—this is about accountability. This kind of abuse cannot be ignored, downplayed, or swept under the rug.
Item 8: AN ORDINANCE TRANSFERRING VARIOUS POSITIONS FROM THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY.
This order will transfer certain positions from the sheriff’s office to various county departments. Read the ordinance beginning on Page 11-12 of the agenda.
Friday 8/29/25, I received this letter from Washington County Sheriff Jay Cantrell, along with the attached Attorney General’s Opinion concerning records related to “an internal investigation conducted by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.”
It appears the Sheriff and the County Judge’s office disagree on the findings of the county’s investigation and what actions, if any, should follow. The Attorney General’s opinion—very detailed—focuses on whether the Sheriff’s internal investigation records are subject to public release under FOIA. The ruling: they are not subject to FOIA.
This ordinance appears to be an effort to implement corrective measures based on concerns raised during that investigation.
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Planning Board Shake-Up: Still Concerning
As a follow up to last week’s information about the troublesome events at the last Quorum Court meeting, after I requested County Attorney Brian Lester’s opinion as to the legality of the judge’s actions (with regard to Planning Board nominations and the subsequent vote), here was his first response, which really is not a response. I pushed back and here was his opinion (and my second request) Still no legal basis given for his opinion.
I still believe that what happened: Judge Deakins appointing all the Planning Board members except Mr. Joe Maynard, despite the fact that he told the court in an email that he was reappointing all the members - was wrong in many ways and something should be done about it. I am not sure what that something is at this point.
It’s deeply concerning that a board member could be removed simply because the county judge doesn’t like him or disagrees with his views. This sets a dangerous precedent where decisions are based on personal preference rather than merit, qualifications, or the law. Independent boards exist to provide checks and balances, and allowing political retaliation undermines transparency, fairness, and public trust in county government.
Read this report for more on this situation.
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💰 2026 Budget Process Begins
View Budget Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lthtvArR5NLbRd0rZk84Xti6ufMtt2gP/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103549546239687116712&rtpof=true&sd=true’
Some budgets grow significantly each year (Road Dept., Sheriff’s Office)
Others barely keep up with inflation (Public Defenders, Animal Shelter) (“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21)
Here are the questions and concerns that I have submitted regarding the budget. I would love to hear your thoughts on the budget and what your priorities are.
Finance & Budget will meet Tuesday, 9/9/25 at 6:00 pm. More on that next week.
We are just starting the process for the 2026 Washington County Budget.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER:
As of 8/29/25, there were 715 individuals detained at the Washington County Detention Center.
309 Prisoners: 40
ADC Commitments: 121
Failure to Appear Charges: 190
Hold Other Departments: 198
The program that I use to gather data for the Washington County Detention Center has not been updated this week, so I am unable to furnish the usual statistics.
This is the “report” that is in the packet for Tuesday’s meeting, but it is only through 8/15/25.
Here’s the link to the Detailed 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 8/30/25)
Bid: 2025-10 due 9/8/25 at 4:00 PM: opening date 9/9/25. This is a bid for a “fuel island system” for the road department.
Bid: 2025-11 due 9/2/25 at 4:00 PM: opening date 9/3/25. This is a bid for work order and data management software, also for the road department.
Here is the tabulation sheet for the “Fourth Floor Flooring & Wall Upgrades”:
View all RFQs and bids [here].
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County Job Openings (as of 8/31/25).
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.91 / HR | |
Temporary | Open Until Filled | 14/Hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.25 - $23.42/hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.91 - $24.14 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $16.62 | |
Part Time | Open Until Filled | $16 | |
Part Time | Open Until Filled | $16 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $18 Hr |
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.