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Writer's pictureBeth Coger

JP COGER'S WASHINGTON COUNTY UPDATE 9/29/24

As of 9/28/24 at 7:00 PM, only one meeting is posted:

WASHINGTON COUNTY MEETINGS WEEK OF 9/29/24:





🌟 POSSIBLE VOTE ON NEW ZONING ORDINANCE!! MONDAY NIGHT AT 6:00 PM Washington County Quorum Court County Services Committee Meeting.  Monday, 9/30/24, 6:00 PM, Washington County Courthouse, 280 N. College, Fayetteville, Arkansas.  This is an in person only meeting.   The meeting will be live-streamed on the county’s YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/user/washcoar


Here’s the agenda for the meeting. (As of 9/29/24 at 1:00 PM, the agenda is not posted on the county calendar, so most members of the public have not seen the proposed “new ordinance on zoning.”)  It’s also not posted on the Planning Department’s website.  That’s not being transparent. Items to watch


  • Item 6:  EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER RENDERINGS/DISCUSSION

  • Item 8:  THE “ORDINANCE CREATING NEW PLANNING AND ZONING LAW IN WASHINGTON COUNTY; AND, FOR OTHER MATTERS PERTAINING THERETO” IS ON THE AGENDA AS ITEM 8.

  • This ordinance has the potential to change the landscape of Washington County for decades, if not forever.  I welcome comments and questions about this matter.

  • The public needs to be involved in all these decisions.  If you have specific questions you’d like me to ask, please send them to me.  ejcoger@gmail.com or text or call 479-306-9994.

  • At last week's Planning Board meeting, there was a short discussion on the new zoning ordinance which provides some insight. You can listen to that here: 1:00:49 in the video.   

  • Please note: Since the County Services is a subcommittee of the whole quorum court, different rules apply with regard to public comment. In committee meetings, the public comment time occurs at the conclusion of the meeting, after all decisions have been made. There will be, however, a twelve minute public comment time before we vote on any resolution or ordinance.


WC MEETINGS FROM LAST WEEK:


🌟 The Washington County Jobs Evaluation Salary Administration Program (JESAP)  met last Monday, 9/23/24 at 3:30 pm.  


Here’s a recording of that meeting.  I think part of the audio starting at 4:41 has been edited, but I’m checking into that.  I attended that meeting to speak on behalf of county employees who have concerns about the proposed county-wide STEP Plan, but Judge Patrick Deakins, chair of JESAP, refused to allow me to speak about their concerns.  His reason:  that my remarks were concerns that were not on the agenda.   Washington County Code says nothing about limiting public comments to only items on the agenda.  See  Section 2-32.  Citizens Comments (h)“There shall also be a twelve-minute public comment period at the end of each committee meeting.  No individual may speak longer than three (3) minutes.”


That’s all it says.  It’s already been established in the case of Coger v. Woods, Lester, Ecke, Pond, Burchett and Reynolds that JESAP meetings are public meetings and, under Arkansas law, they are required to be recorded. 


🌟 The Washington County Planning and Zoning Board met Thursday 9/26/24.  That meeting may be viewed here:  https://www.youtube.com/live/XXLtFF24hA4?si=sc-O8XAXdi6Q2XBZ


The Planning Board did discuss the new zoning ordinance, and there’s some great information here starting at 1:00:49 in the video.   


If you’d rather read the discussion, here’s a rough transcript starting at 1:00:49.  (I couldn’t understand everything that was said, and near the end of the meeting, Commissioner Joe Mainard is speaking, but his microphone isn’t on)




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🌟 UPDATE ON THE NWA COMMUNITY CORRECTION CENTER (“CCC”) 


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🌟 UPDATE ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COMMITTEE (“CJCC”)


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🌟 UPDATE ON THE NWA CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT (“CSU”)




 













Here’s how you can contact your county officials.  


  

 🌟 DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 9/28/24



As of 9/28/24, there are at least 740 people reported as incarcerated in our county jail (There are more, as some bookings are “restricted” and don’t show on the public dashboard)  82 of those are listed as homeless or unsheltered.   


Here’s the link to the Detailed Charge Report:  



In 2020, Washington County commissioned an independent study of our entire justice system. That was performed by the National Center for State Courts. You can read that report here and see all the things we should be doing to decrease or high incarceration rate.


COUNTY BID POSTINGS  

 


🌟 Two current bid/RFP postings:

  1. Courthouse 2nd & 3rd Floor Lobby/Common Area Wall Updates

  2. Department:Buildings & Grounds, Purchasing

  3. Category:Request for Proposal (RFP)

  4. RFP Number:RFP 2024-04

  5. Start Date:09/30/2024 4:00 PM

  6. Close Date:10/01/2024 9:00 AM

 GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS:  The Washington County Building & Grounds Office is requesting proposals (“Proposal”) from qualified contractor to make updates to 2nd and 3rd floor Lobby/Common Area Walls for the Washington County Courthouse located at 280 N. College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701.

2. Courthouse 2nd & 3rd Floor Lobby/Common Area Flooring Updates

  • Department:Purchasing

  • RFP Number:RFP 2024-05

  • Start Date:09/30/2024 4:00 PM

  • Close Date:10/01/2024 9:30 AM

 GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS:  The Washington County Building & Grounds Office is requesting proposals (“Proposal”) from qualified contractor to make updates to 2nd and 3rd floor Lobby/Common Area Flooring for the Washington County Courthouse located at 280 N. College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701.

Here’s the link to current RFQs and bids:  



COUNTY JOB OPENINGS THIS WEEK (8/25/24)






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