JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 9/21/25
- Beth Coger
- Sep 21
- 7 min read
THINGS TO KNOW:
➽ There will be a joint meeting of the Washington County and Benton County Quorum Courts on Monday, 9/22/25, 6:00 p.m., Springdale City Hall, 201 Spring Street, Springdale, Arkansas. I have not confirmed, but this meeting should be live streamed here on the county’s YouTube channel.
Here is the agenda. The meeting includes a presentation of a “Strategic Growth Study” by DPZ Consultants.
If you have questions you'd like me to ask, please email me at: ejcoger@gmail.com
In connection with this, you can go to https://www.growinghomenwa.com and complete a community growth and development survey. I did and it only took a couple minutes.
➽ Washington County Planning Board Regular Monthly Meeting Thursday, 9/25/25, 5:00 PM, Washington County Courthouse, 280 N. College, Fayetteville, Arkansas. This is an in person meeting only. Here is the agenda.
This will be the first meeting of the Planning Board since its “reconstruction,” though the former planning board was never actually dissolved. In any event, that’s where we are.
There are six (6) Conditional Use Permit applications, including a hot air balloon business - that’s new - at least to me. Please review these and share with your friends and neighbors who may be interested and/or whose property may be impacted by these CUPs:
Silver Lining Ballooning, 13784 Hogeye Rd WC 28, Prairie Grove, AR 72753. 4.06 acres with construction occupying 0.25 acres to operate a hot air balloon business. Applicant Joseph W. Kenerson. Here is the complete application.
Hmong Community Event Center, 24283 N Hwy 244, Summers, AR 72769. CUP to build and operate a 50’x120’ event center. Construction planned in three phases. Applicant Ton Lee. Here is the complete application.
Urban Steel, 4705 E. Monitor Road WC 91, Springdale, AR 72764. CUP to operate a welding and metalworking business. Intention is to lease the 4,800 sq. ft. metal building located at 4705 E. Monitor Road, occupying 0.90 acres, more or less, of a 23.04 acre property. Will have seven employees. Applicant: Chris Vega. Property Owner: Maquiladora Manufacturers LLC. Here is the complete application for Urban Steel.
Rivercrest Orchard, 2929 S. Dead Hose (sic) Road WC 55, Fayetteville, AR 72701. CUP to bring property into compliance to continue hosting seasonal festivals and to add a 40’x60’ kitchen building. Apparently operating now without a CUP. Festival operations run March - June and September on Saturdays and Sundays. Open daily in October from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Applicant Timothea McGarrah. Property owners Timothea and Dennis McGarrah. Application for Rivercrest Orchard is here.
Vaughn Recycling, 2509 Aarons Drive, Springdale, AR 72764. CUP to operate a high-intensity CUP to relocate Vaughn Recycling to a 6.52 acre portion of the 13.26 acre subject property currently under contract, pending approval. They expect 50-100 daily customers. Primarily using drive-thru service. Hours of operation expected to be M-F 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturday 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Will have 10 to 15 employees. Application for Vaughn Recycling.
O’Brien Ready Mix Facility High Intensity CUP, 16234 W Hwy 62, Prairie Grove, AR 72753. CUP to develop and operate a concrete mixing facility. Property is 7.42 acres in total, with project occupying 4.50 acres. Operation M-F with work starting between 5:30 AM - 7:00 AM and ending between 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Ten full time employees. A large scale development permit will be sought after the CUP approval. There will be four to six mixer trucks coming and going from the facility on business days. Here’s the complete application for O’Brien Ready Mix.
In addition to the CUPs, the agenda includes eight (8) County Land Development Hearings which you can read about here - starting on Page 2.
➽ SPECIAL MEETING OF WASHINGTON COUNTY PLANNING BOARD Thursday 10/9/25. The judge said 6:00 PM, but the county calendar has it at 5:30 PM. I will verify the time before next week’s update.
Here’s what Judge Deakins said about this meeting, starting at 25:55 in the video:
“We've invited Jeff Hawkins to 26:12 that meeting. If you recall, Mr. Hawkins is the uh author of our proposed ordinance that we've been working on for 26:18 quite some time now. Um, we've really taken a step back and we're wanting to put this back on square one. Mr. Hawkins 26:24 is going to come in and explain the issues that he sees with our current process, which he's been advising us for 26:30 over the years. Also, he's going to give background on the zoning process that we had included in the proposed ordinance 26:35 that we brought to you, ladies and gentlemen. So, that um if you have any questions or anything um it'll be at 26:41 6:00 that evening on October 9th. The other thing is uh please come prepared 26:47 for questions. Um I think what Mr. Hawkins has explained to us and what would really be helpful is uh with the 26:53 planning board and then also with you ladies and gentlemen input too is what is our goal with planning? What is the 26:58 goal? And I think maybe he could incorporate those goals or discuss those goals with us and make sure we're on the 27:04 right path. And so back to square one, we want to bring Jeff Hawkins in for the discussion and we invite any input that 27:12 um that we can look for more details about that. We can we'll probably um refine that. Uh it'll be an effort to 27:20 gain insights and input on the future. That's what we're looking for. We're wanting people to be engaged insights 27:25 into the future.”
Note: Mr. Hawkins was formerly with NWA Regional Planning Commission and originally worked on the “new” zoning ordinance somewhat.
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Let’s recap last week’s the regular monthly meeting of the Washington County Quorum Court:
Watch last week’s meeting here:
During the monthly “Judge’s Report,” Judge Deakins announced that we would be hearing about the investigation starting at 27:25 in the video linked above. Chief of Staff Michael Stewart and Deputy County Attorney Catherine Baker went over the various investigations on alleged misuse of county property by sheriff office employees.
Go to www.washingtoncountyar.gov and click on “County Judge.” Then go to the left of the page and click on “Reports.” There you will find the investigative reports concerning misuse of county property together with interviews, copies of documents and evidence. It’s quite extensive.
At the conclusion, the judge just moved on with the regular meeting and there was no discussion about what the next steps might be. This might be because they are waiting on an Attorney General opinion.
Beginning at 1:14:28 in the video, JP Evelyn Rios Stafford speaks to table permanently her proposed ordinance to expand the number of Planning Board members from seven to nine.
Starting at 1:20:38 in the meeting, discussion begins about a proposal to transfer $665,500 from various budgets to finance a new fuel island. County Attorney Brian Lester sent an email 9/17/25 at 3:06 PM notifying the court that Judge Deakins asked that the fuel island ordinance be added to the agenda at Thursday’s meeting.
I objected because I think it is serious business when we walk items on at the beginning of meetings without letting the public know in advance. We have an ordinance that items are required to go through committee first and then on to the full quorum court (there are exceptions - if the item gets a ⅔ vote). This item could have easily been added to the last Finance & Budget meeting, or it could have waited and been added to the October Finance & Budget meeting.
Read the email exchange here about placing this item on the agenda at the last minute.
I see this is an attempt (which will likely be successful) to get the fuel island approved without it being part of the Road Department’s budget for 2026. $665,500 is a lot of money.
The ordinance would take money from various budgets and transfer them to build and finance the fuel station:
$400,000 from Buildings & Grounds
$200,000 from Jail M&O
$65,500 from Comptroller Software/Maintenance
Judging from the conversations and unanswered questions, this proposal seems premature at this point in time. The tanks might be inground, but they might be above ground. According to an engineer that I spoke with, there is likely a significant cost difference between inground and above ground, with above ground likely more cost effective in the beginning. The ordinance had nine yes votes: Wilson, Massingill, Rivera Lopez, Ecke, Dean, Washington, Highers, Rios Stafford and Ricker; two abstensions: Leming and Pond; and three no votes: Bruns, Coger and Dennis.
This ordinance will be on the agenda for October for its second reading.
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Here is the link to the Master Budget 2026 that was provided to all JPs 8/15/25: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lthtvArR5NLbRd0rZk84Xti6ufMtt2gP/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103549546239687116712&rtpof=true&sd=true
(“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21)
I would love to hear your thoughts on the budget and what your priorities are.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER:
As of 9/15/25, there were 750 individuals detained at the Washington County Detention Center. 92 of those are listed as either “homeless” or “1832 S School” the address of 7 Hills Homeless Shelter. Just over 12% are unsheltered. Here is a great study by The Urban Institute on homelessness and incarceration.
Sentenced: 50
Not Sentenced: 700
Total Inmates That Have Been in Jail Prior: 561
Total Charges Against Inmates: 3644
Foreign Born: 107
Female Count: 122
Year to Date Bookings: 7524
State Prisoners: 162
Federal Prisoners: 98
Pretrial: 425
County Commit: 19
Average Prior Bookings: 6.64
309 Prisoners: 41
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 9/21/25)
Bid 2025-12 Services for the Women’s Community Rebuilding Initiative. Bids are due: 10/13/25 by 4:00 PM. Proposals will be opened 10/14/25 at 9:00 AM. Washington County is being sued because it did not go through proper procurement procedures on the Men’s CRI. Read about it here.
You can view the closed bids here.
View all RFQs and bids [here].
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County Job Openings (as of 9/21/25).
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $17.12/hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.91 / HR | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $17.29 - $19.05 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $24.04/hr | |
Temporary | Open Until Filled | 14/Hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.25 - $23.42/hr | |
Part Time | Open Until Filled | $16 | |
Full Time | 09/24/2025 | $60,278.40 - $66,435.20 | |
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.
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