JP Coger's Washington County UPdate 9/28/25
- Beth Coger
- Sep 28
- 5 min read
THINGS TO KNOW:
📅 Upcoming Meetings
Washington County Quorum Court – County Services Committee
📍 Location: Washington County Courthouse, Fayetteville📆 Date/Time: Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.🖥️ Access: In person only | County YouTube Livestream
Here is the complete agenda. (Note: Agenda says Tuesday, but the meeting is Monday 9/29/25)
Public Comment:
12 minutes at end of meeting (3 min per speaker)
Another 12 minutes before any ordinance/resolution votes
May be extended with ⅔ vote
Agenda Highlights:
Community Rebuilding Initiative Report – Nick Robbins, Returning Home (note: no presentation/data in advance packet)
Ordinance – Transfer of Sheriff’s Office Positions (originally on 9/2/25 agenda, postponed at Judge Deakins’ request):
Legal Advisor → County Attorney
2 HR positions → County HR
3 IT positions → County IT
3 Building & Grounds positions → County B&G
Ordinance – Appropriation for Community Alternative Program (CAP):
$506,469.12 requested from General Reserve Fund
Request submitted by Returning Home, Inc. through Judge Deakins
➽ 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 attempt to verify the time before next week’s update (still waiting to hear back on confirmation of time).
Judge Deakins said at the 9/19/25 Quorum Court meeting that the Oct. 9 Planning Board meeting will be a “back to square one” discussion of county zoning goals, with Jeff Hawkins providing background and recommendations. [Watch and hear more in the video starting at 25:55]
There__________________________________________________________
Let’s recap last week’s meetings:
➽Watch last week’s joint Benton and Washington County Quorum Court meeting here. Here’s a report from growinghomenwa.com that has some of the information that was presented at last week’s meeting: https://www.growinghomenwa.com/post/growing-home-roadshow-nears-tonight-s-closing
It was a great turnout, but so great that not everyone could make it into the room. I appreciate the constituents who provided me with questions to ask at the meeting.
➽ Watch the Washington County Planning Board (“PB”) meeting of 9/25/25 here. Only four PB members were present: Pearcy; Thompson/ Daugherty; and Puryear. Absent: McNutt; Pearson; Shackleford. Loren Shackleford was elected Chair of the PB. I couldn’t understand the name of the Vice Chair, but maybe you can watch the video and hear it.
Silver Lining Ballooning, 13784 Hogeye Rd WC 28, Prairie Grove, AR 72753. Here is the complete application. CUP approved by vote 4 - 0
Hmong Community Event Center, 24283 N Hwy 244, Summers, AR 72769. Here is the complete application. CUP approved by vote 4 - 0
Urban Steel, 4705 E. Monitor Road WC 91, Springdale, AR 72764. Here is the complete application for Urban Steel. CUP approved by vote 4 - 0
Rivercrest Orchard, 2929 S. Dead Hose (sic) Road WC 55, Fayetteville, AR 72701. . Application for Rivercrest Orchard is here. CUP approved by vote 4 - 0
Vaughn Recycling, 2509 Aarons Drive, Springdale, AR 72764. Application for Vaughn Recycling.
Notes from Meeting: This facility is currently located in Fayetteville since 2007 and wishes to relocate now to the Springdale address. The applicant stated they need more space as they have outgrown their 1.5 acre property in Fayetteville and Springdale is the ideal area for metal recycling with all the construction and growth. Public comments were all opposing the CUP. Some concerns cited: (a) incompatibility; (b) traffic;( c) noise; (d) problems with ingress and egress; (e) will devalue surrounding property; (f) area is high in traffic accidents and this facility will contribute to more traffic. Tabled until October meeting. The applicant requested the item be tabled and the board agreed.
O’Brien Ready Mix Facility High Intensity CUP, 16234 W Hwy 62, Prairie Grove, AR 72753. Here’s the complete application for O’Brien Ready Mix.
Notes from Meeting: 91 people were notified. 51 complaints. Opposition cited much the same objections as listed in the Vaughn Recycling hearing; however, concerns also were brought forth about the effect the facility will have on the Illinois Rivershed as a creek runs throughout the property. Tabled until October meeting. The applicant requested the item be tabled and the board agreed.
➽ The grand opening of the $8.1 Million Dollar Emergency Operations Center was held Wednesday 9/24/25. It’s an approximately 11,000 square foot EOC located just north of the Washington County Detention Center. This was made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money received by Washington County. As a reminder, Washington County received $46,459,273.00 in ARPA money; otherwise, this center would not have been built. I did not hear that mentioned during the ceremony, but it’s important to remember.
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📊WASHINGTON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER:
As of 9/27/25, there were 734 individuals detained at the Washington County Detention Center. 92 of those are listed as unsheltered.
309 Prisoners: 42
ADC Committed: 124
Failure to Appear: 169
Hold Other Departments: 208
Average Daily Federal Prisoners 8/16/25 to 9/15/25: 93
Average Daily Pre-Trial 8/16/25 to 9/15/25: 413
Detention Intakes 8/16/25 to 9/15/25: 912
Sent to Prison 8/16/25 to 9/15/25: 54
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 9/28/25)
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 9/28/25).
The big addition to this week’s job postings is the Road Superintendent. Here is more information on that. No official announcement has been made to the quorum court about this job vacancy.
Also I will point out two job openings in Drug Court Division IV: Administrative Assistant and Drug Court Counselor. If you’re interested in these positions, you will be very blessed to be working in Division 4.
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 | $16 - $17.62 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $21.25 - $23.42/hr | |
Part Time | Open Until Filled | $16 | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $18 Hr | |
Full Time | Open Until Filled | $102648.00-$113152.00 |
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.
Thanks for reading, I’ll keep you updated on CAP funding and more next week.
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