JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 9/27/26
Welcome to this week’s Washington County Update!
First, I am sad to share that Friday, September 18, was Human Resources Director Jessica Bennett’s last day with Washington County. Her kindness, knowledge, and expertise will be greatly missed. I wish Ms. Bennett all the best in her next endeavor. Our county is better for her service, and we will feel her absence.
A good election starts with informed voters.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Research and Extension team publishes a voter guide to help Arkansans understand the issues on the ballot - initiatives that are placed on our ballots by either the legislature (beware) or by citizen ballot committees. This guide brings together legal expertise and perspectives from both supporters and opponents, giving voters a chance to consider the facts and arguments before making up their minds.
Read this election guide HERE
I am canvassing with various campaigns, including Lowell Taylor for JP District 6 (Springdale) and Sarah Moore, Fayetteville City Council, Ward 2, and assisting in other ways with other JP races. If you’d like to help canvass and talk to voters, please let me know and I will train you to do that. These local elections are more important than at any time I can remember.
For example, today while canvassing for Lowell Taylor, I received one bag of animal cookies; one cold bottled water; one hug from an appreciative voter; and one door slammed shut. That's how it goes when campaigning. Most people are kind and welcoming.
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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.
County Services Committee Meeting: (Tomorrow) Monday, September 28, at 6:00 p.m. - (more on that below)
Finance & Budget Committee Meeting: Tuesday, October 6, at 6:00 p.m.
October Regular Quorum Court Meeting: Thursday, October 15 at 6:00 p.m.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY MEETINGS WEEK OF 9/27/26:
The County Services Committee of the Washington County Quorum Court will meet Monday 9/28/26 for its October meeting.
Agenda Highlights:
Item 5: Juvenile Detention Report - Chris Tinsley.
The Quorum Court will receive the Juvenile Detention Center’s September report tomorrow night. Through September 23, the center reported 22 intakes and an average daily population of 12.87. Of those intakes, 20 were from Washington County and two were from Madison County. The center also reported three out-of-town transports.
Item 6: Sheriff’s Report - Jay Cantrell. Jail Population and Bed Days
The Sheriff’s Office report for August 16–September 15 shows 987 detention intakes, up from 904 during the comparable period last year. Yet total bed days fell from 22,550 to 19,052, a decrease of about 15.5%. This year’s total works out to an average of approximately 615 people held per day.
The report also shows an average daily population of 190 state prisoners, compared with 175 last year, while the pretrial average fell from 413 to 302. The number sent to prison during the reporting period fell from 54 to 21.
What could pretrial services change? The 2020 Criminal Justice Assessment Study recommended a “robust pretrial services program.” The sheriff’s latest report shows an average of 302 people held pretrial each day. If an effective program could safely reduce that number by even 30%, approximately 91 fewer people would be detained on an average day.
Using the 2024 Legislative Audit’s average cost of $80.52 per bed day, that would represent roughly $226,000 in bed day costs over this 31-day reporting period, or $2.66 million over a year if the same conditions continued. Those figures are an illustration, not a promise of savings: we would need to account for the program’s cost and determine which jail expenses would actually decline. They show why a serious evaluation of pretrial services belongs in our budget and jail-capacity discussions.
Item 7: CRI Update and CAP Update - Nick Robbins
Returning Home’s reports for the Community Alternative Program (CAP) and Community Rebuilding Initiative (CRI) are on tomorrow night’s Quorum Court agenda. Both reports are dated August 1, so I will ask whether updated reports are available.
This ordinance is sponsored by JP Evelyn Rios Stafford and is self-explanatory.
This ordinance is sponsored by JP Robert Dennis. It starts out by reinforcing the importance of transparency and the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. We all know the county has not been good at that during the last four years.
Other than that, I do not understand exactly what the ordinance will do and what its unintended consequences may be. I have asked Chair JP Lisa Ecke to require that county attorney Brian Lester attend the meeting to answer questions and explain legal implications.
Sponsored by JP Vladimir Rivera Lopez, the Quorum Court will consider this resolution endorsing Tyson Poultry’s participation in Arkansas’s Tax Back program for a project at 703 E. Randall Wobbe Lane in Springdale. If Tyson qualifies and receives state approval, the program would allow refunds of applicable Washington County sales and use taxes paid on eligible construction materials, machinery, and equipment.
TRANSPARENCY AND FOLLOW THE MONEY:
1. Order 2026-123 - Awarding Bid for Sheriff’s Outdoor Range Acoustic Bid awarded to Walls of Troy, Inc. of Brunswick, Georgia. Total material and installation $157,062.78.
2. Order 2026-122 - Awarding contract to Riggs Power Systems for grand total of $245,486.00 for use by the Building & Grounds Department. This is broken down as follows:
Courthouse $92,014.00
EOC $83,274.00
Road Dept. $70,198.00
3. Contract 2024-90a - Amendment for Architect Hight Jackson Associates regarding the Covid Mitigation Project. I asked an engineer to review this and here are his remarks:
“I think in general what you want is assurance that the contract is fulfilled and the project is finished. The final inspection was done June 24 and the first punch list was generated. This was then distributed on July 2 to the general contractor. What would normally follow is another walk through to verify that all of the punch list items were addressed and resolved. If not resolved the cycle of punch list and walk through would be repeated until nothing was left on the punch list. I don't think you need the actual punch list items, you need the assurance that Washington County's construction manager signed off on it. Going deeper isn't practical. But documenting who in the County signed off to say that the contract is complete is what you should ask for.
One other item that needs to be documented and signed off on is the owner's receipt of all operating manuals and warranties. Standard stuff, but very important. Again, who accepted that and is it in the hands of the maintenance department? Training on specialized systems may have been specified and subject to documentation requirements. A sign in sheet for training, showing attendees, topic, time, date, duration, and instructor's name would be typical.”
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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.
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 27
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 2026-21 — BID CLOSED. AI-Powered Phone, Chat, and Email Communications Platform. No bid award as yet. See Tabulation Sheet HERE.
Washington County received six bids for Bid 2026-21, an AI-powered phone, chat and email platform. The bid tabulation was prepared September 22.
Important: A bid tabulation is not an award of the contract. The first-year totals submitted were:
Company | First-Year Total |
Sunlight Technologies, Inc. dba Readyly | $38,500 |
Just Appraised | $72,700 |
Concourse Tech Inc. | $90,000 |
2AM Fusion, Inc. | $97,940 |
Technijian, Inc. | $137,376 |
Edgent LLC | $138,500 |
There are significant differences in both price and what is included in those prices.
While Just Appraised listed $14,700 for implementation and $58,000 for the annual subscription, several requested pricing items—including overage rates, additional licenses and SMS—were listed as “Not Provided.”
Concourse Tech's $90,000 first-year price includes implementation and SMS, but charges $0.75 per voice interaction above 50,000 annually and $1,800 per year for each additional license above 15. Its tabulation also provides pricing through five years. 2AM Fusion's $97,940 first-year bid consists of $24,000 for implementation and $73,940 for the annual subscription, with additional usage and license charges.
The two highest first-year bids were Technijian at $137,376 and Edgent at $138,500. Technijian's tabulation indicates its bid was not signed and its check-off list was marked “No,” although proof of insurance was marked “Yes.” Edgent's bid was signed and all three administrative items were marked “Yes.”
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Washington County Job Openings
Washington County lists 18 job postings this week, with opportunities in public safety, the courts, roads, and elections.
Openings include Adult Detention Officer at $21.91 per hour, Juvenile Detention Officer at 21.25–23.42 per hour, and Deputy Public Defender at 76,606.40–84,448 per year. The Road Department is hiring a Mechanic II at 28.22–31.11 per hour and several equipment operators.
The county is also seeking Election Poll Workers for temporary work at $14 per hour. Most positions are open until filled, but one Operator I position closes Friday, October 2, at 4:30 p.m.
See the full list and application details.
I look forward to any questions or comments you may have.
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— Beth Coger
Justice of the Peace, District 9
Washington County Quorum Court
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