JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 9/13/26
Updated: 5 minutes ago
Welcome to this week’s Washington County Update!
This is a busy week for Washington County government. The rescheduled Finance and Budget Committee meeting is Monday evening, followed by Thursday’s regular Quorum Court meeting. Among the matters before us are the proposed paid parental leave ordinance, several conditional-use permits, and important questions about the county’s 2027 budget. I hope you will review the agendas, watch the meetings, and stay involved.
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👀 Looking Ahead
All meetings are open to the public. Unless otherwise noted, meetings will be held at the Washington County Courthouse, 280 N. College Avenue, Fayetteville.
Finance and Budget Committee: Monday, September 14, at 6:00 p.m. Last week’s meeting was canceled because of technical problems with the county’s broadcasting equipment.
Washington County Library System Board: Thursday, September 17, at 4:00 p.m., at the Emergency Operations Center, 2462 S. Brink Drive, Fayetteville.
Regular Quorum Court Meeting: Thursday, September 17, at 6:00 p.m.
Planning Board Meeting: Thursday, September 24, at 5:00 p.m.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY MEETINGS WEEK OF 9/13/26:
Finance and Budget Committee — Monday, September 14, at 6:00 p.m.
The September meeting of the Washington County Quorum Court Finance and Budget Committee was rescheduled after last week’s meeting was canceled because of technical problems with the county’s broadcasting equipment.
I covered the agenda in last week’s newsletter, which you can read HERE.
Because this is a committee-of-the-whole meeting, twelve minutes are provided for general public comment near the end of the meeting, just before adjournment. Twelve minutes of public comment also will be allowed before a vote on any ordinance or resolution.
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Regular Quorum Court Meeting — Thursday, September 17, at 6:00 p.m.
Public comment will be limited to fifteen minutes under Item 5, near the beginning of the meeting.
Agenda Highlights
This ordinance is greatly needed for county employees and their families. If approved, it also could encourage other counties and cities to consider similar policies.
Employees who have worked for the county for at least one year would be eligible for eight weeks of paid parental leave. Employees with less than one year of service would receive a prorated benefit. The policy would cover biological, adoptive, and foster parents.
I believe paid parental leave is a compassionate and practical investment in our employees, their children, and stronger families.
This existing commercial operation is seeking after-the-fact approval. The proposal received considerable attention at the August 13 Planning Board meeting.
Board member Micah Thompson questioned whether the property should previously have undergone large-scale development or stormwater review. He noted that the property had been a wooded hilltop before it was cleared, graveled, and developed.
Planning staff responded that large-scale review generally is required when more than one acre is developed or when the Engineering Department specifically requires it. Staff maintained that the portion used for the project was less than one acre.
That point remained disputed. Later in the discussion, Mr. Thompson cited the staff packet as identifying approximately 1.75 acres of buildings and compacted gravel, which appears inconsistent with the assertion that less than one acre had been developed.
Neighbor reports runoff damage: A downstream property owner said runoff had changed substantially after the hilltop was cleared and covered with compacted gravel. He reported that heavy rain now washes down the hill and has damaged his driveway and the driveway of an elderly neighbor.
The Planning Board approved the CUP with a direction that the Engineering Department review the stormwater runoff and work with the applicant to determine whether additional accommodations or mitigation measures are necessary.
Read my full summary of the August 13 Planning Board discussion HERE.
Another existing business is seeking approval to operate a small-scale dog boarding and training facility on a 15.88-acre property. The business occupies approximately 0.73 acre. The Planning Board approved the CUP unanimously on August 13. Read my full summary HERE.
The applicants propose building a church on a future eight-acre parcel to be divided from a 24-acre property. As of the August 13 Planning Board meeting, no opposition had been received and no public comments were offered. The Planning Board approved the CUP unanimously.
The Planning Board approved this CUP despite an unresolved question about whether the septic system crosses a property boundary. Staff recommended obtaining an easement if the septic lines cross onto neighboring property. But an easement should not be assumed: the neighboring owner is under no obligation to grant one, may require compensation, and an easement could permanently encumber the property. I believe this issue should be resolved before final approval.
TRANSPARENCY AND FOLLOW THE MONEY
The August ArVest P-Card statement: $67,122.31 in purchases minus $749.42 in credits equals $66,372.89.
Month-to-Month P-Card Spending
April: $70,047.08
May: $57,053.80 — down $12,993.28, or 18.55%, from April
June: $78,196.37 — up $21,142.57, or 37.06%, from May
July: $70,709.45 — down $7,486.92, or 9.57%, from June
August: $66,372.89 — down $4,336.56, or 6.13%, from July
Five-month total: $342,379.59
Five-month monthly average: $68,475.92
August was $2,103.03, or 3.07%, below the five-month average.
Spending has declined for two consecutive months and is now $11,823.48, or 15.12%, below the June high.
I submitted a lengthy set of questions to the Sheriff’s Office regarding the Jail Maintenance & Operation budget for 2027. Read their responses HERE.
Here is an example of one response concerning the true cost of the Community Rebuilding Initiative:
“We provide eight (8) Detention deputies to work at the CRI. We try to be consistent with which deputies work there, but there are several deputies that work there to make sure there is coverage.”
Please provide us with the salary and employer-paid benefit cost attributable to CRI, including FICA, retirement, health insurance, workers’ compensation, life insurance, holiday compensation, longevity, overtime, and any differential payment.
“An estimate of eight (8) Detention deputies salaries working at the CRI is around $758,415.60 to $1.1 million yearly.”
This email from Ms. Jessica Bennett, Human Resources Director, also helps explain the difference between holiday pay and holiday incentive. Read HERE.
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📊 Washington County Jail Data Dashboard
⚖️ Detention Center Data. Read the most recent Inmate
Population Analysis HERE.
Read the Detainee Summary HERE.
Jail Numbers — September 11, 2026
Total jail population: 718
Daily high count: 725
Pretrial detainees: 345, or 48.1%
State prisoners: 217, or 30.2%
Federal prisoners: 92, or 12.8%
Women: 88, or 12.3%
People who had previously been in jail: 525, or 73.1%
Average time in jail: 190 days
Combined time spent in jail by the current population: 136,623 days
Note: The summary lists 89 women, but its detailed table and the separate Population Analysis both report 88.
Applying the Legislative Auditor’s 2024 estimate of $80.52 per bed-day to the 136,623 cumulative jail days produces an estimated cost of approximately $11 million. This is an illustrative estimate only and not a calculation of the jail’s actual expenditures for those particular detainees. Also, it does not adjust the 2024 rate for subsequent inflation.
With nearly half of the jail population awaiting trial, Washington County should closely examine which legally eligible defendants could be safely supervised in the community. Effective pretrial services can protect public safety while reducing unnecessary detention and its substantial cost.
Read the 2020 Criminal Justice Assessment Study. Washington County has not implemented the study’s central recommendations and, in my view, has instead directed funding toward programs that conflict with its recommended approach.
🔎 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 September 13
Bid 2026-19 — Detainee Food, Commissary, and Communications Services.
Bids are due September 28 at 4:00 p.m.
The bid opening is September 29 at 9:00 a.m. in Suite 530 of the courthouse.
Bid 2026-20 — Soft Body Armor, Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office is soliciting bids for 38 NIJ Level IIIA concealed-style soft-armor vests to be worn with uniforms. Bids are due September 14 at 4:00 p.m. The bid opening is September 15 at 9:00 a.m. in Suite 530 of the courthouse.
Bid 2026-21 — AI-Powered Phone, Chat, and Email Communications Platform. The Assessor’s Office is seeking an AI-assisted constituent-service platform for phone, chat, and email, with live access to the agency’s property-records system. Bids are due September 21 at 4:00 p.m. The bid opening is September 22 at 9:00 a.m. in Suite 530 of the courthouse.
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🧑💼 Washington County currently has 17 job listings in public safety, courts, roads, animal services, Buildings and Grounds, elections, and maintenance.
Available positions include detention officers, a certified patrol deputy, juvenile court staff, a drug court counselor, animal shelter employees, road operators, and a mechanic.
Full-time wages range from $16 to $31.11 per hour, depending on the position. Most applications remain open until the positions are filled, although two Road Department postings close October 2 at 4:30 p.m. Several road postings include multiple openings.
View and apply for current job openings. Please share these opportunities with anyone who may be interested.
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Thank you for reading and staying involved in Washington County government. Public participation matter, especially as we begin making decisions about the 2027 county budget.
— Beth Coger
Justice of the Peace, District 9
Washington County Quorum Court
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