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→ The “Swearing In” ceremony for newly elected officials, including all Justices of the Peace, will take place in the Quorum Court Room (2nd floor of courthouse) at 9:00 am, January 2, 2025. If you’re available, I’d love to have as many people as possible come and stand with me during this event. Judge Beth Storey Bryan will be conducting the ceremony. Attending will also give you the opportunity to meet the new JPs who will be serving for the next two years.
UPCOMING PUBLIC MEETINGS WEEK OF 12/22/24
NONE SCHEDULED
UPDATE ON HIV CLINIC:
Sadly, despite us having funded the HIV Clinic for 2025, we were informed last week by WC Judge Patrick Deakins that after three decades of service, the clinic “...will transition to a new home with the Community Clinic.” Here’s the letter all JPs received about this. I’m not sure exactly what this means, but I confirmed with the judge that the appropriation will not be used.
The judge says that patients will continue to receive care and Washington County Taxpayers are “...relieved of a burden…another tentacle of the bloat of local government rectified!”
I disagree that the funding for this lifesaving clinic is a “bloat” or anything else other than a huge benefit to the clinic’s patients and our community. In any event, that’s done for now. After speaking to several community members who are patients at the clinic, who have spoken with staff, everyone will keep their jobs and while the new location won’t be as convenient as the original one, they’re just glad to be done with the county and the stress of wondering when the next shoe will drop.
COUNTY MEETINGS FROM LAST WEEK
🌟 Washington County Quorum Court Regular Monthly Meeting, happened Thursday 12/19/24 at 6:00 PM, Washington County Courthouse. You may watch the meeting here.
We passed an ordinance ratifying a conditional use permit for Anytime Hauling Storage Parking. More information here.
The vote was 14 - 1 to pass an ordinance anticipating revenue in the amount of $1,000,000 in the ARPA Fund and using that money to help fund the deficit in the Emergency Operations Center budget. I was the lone “No” vote because I feel in my heart that the money should have gone to help people in the community, like with housing. That was an option I brought up in committee, but didn’t have the votes to pass. The EOC has already received millions (around $5Million) from ARPA funds and I wanted the money to go toward housing.
We also passed an ordinance ratifying a conditional use permit for the Pleasure Heights Church Project. This is a project by the Marshallese community to build a church that will serve as a space that honors and promotes Marshallese traditions, language, and customs. This helps preserve cultural identity, especially for younger generations.
All items on the Consent Agenda passed with a vote of 14 - 1. JP Leming was the lone “No” vote on that.
ARKANSAS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES: www.arcounties.org
The above link has a lot of information on county government and how it. You can go to the “Publication Library” and find guides, surveys, reports and handbooks. They cite Arkansas Statutes and summarize the state laws that apply to our county government.
ZONING ORDINANCE & MAP:
🌟 DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 12/22/24
As of 12/21/24, there are at least 771 people locked away in our Washington County Detention Center. This is from information on the public facing dashboard. There are likely more than this considering that the sheriff’s office does not post so-called “restrictive bookings” online. Those such postings have been estimated to be 80 - 100 at any time.
82 of the detainees list addresses as either “homeless” or “1832 S School Street - the address of Seven Hills Homeless Shelter.
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.
READ AND STUDY THE 2020 CRIMINAL JUSTICE ASSESSMENT STUDY PREPARED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS HERE. READ AND LEARN WHY WE DO NOT NEED TO SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON JAIL EXPANSIONS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE!
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COUNTY BID POSTINGS 12/22/24
🌟 There’s a new bid for (1) an “Aviation Appraisal Program) for the Assessor’s Office and (2) the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is seeking bids for the Replacement of the failed HMI/PLC controls on a Kohler SGP-1001 Paralleling Switchgear s/n ES-29758 with a Kohler 800ROZD4 generator set s/n 0783065 . Below is the link to current RFQs and bids:
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COUNTY JOB OPENINGS THIS WEEK (12/22/24)
I don’t see any new job postings for this week, but below is the link for all posted job openings in Washington County.
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🌟 WANT TO BECOME INVOLVED?🌟
ATTEND AS MANY MEETINGS OF THE QUORUM COURT AND ITS SUBCOMMITTEES AS YOU CAN. CHECK MY WEBSITE WWW.BETHCOGER.COM FOR DATES AND TIMES.
CONTACT JUDGE DEAKINS AND TELL HIM YOU WANT OUR CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT TO REOPEN AND ASK HIM TO GET TO WORK ON FINDING ANOTHER VENDOR BECAUSE WE CAN DO HARD THINGS.
Continue to ask Judge Deakins to appoint members to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee and get that group up and running! This is too important. If you haven’t called, please do so, or send email, or go by the courthouse and speak to the judge in person. WHAT’S NEXT? WHY WON’T JUDGE DEAKINS APPOINT MEMBERS AND ACTIVATE THIS COMMITTEE AND LET IT GET TO WORK? ASK HIM.
Contact your JP and set up a time to meet them for coffee or just to get together. Become a regular voice in their ear and urge them to support criminal justice reform and be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. That’s how I got started advocating to the court back in 2019. CAN YOU TAKE AN HOUR OR TWO AND MEET WITH YOUR JP AND SHARE YOUR CONCERNS OR COMMENTS, OR WHATEVER YOUR THOUGHTS ARE.
Share this Newsletter with your friends and neighbors!
Write letters to the editor. letters@nwadg.com
Here’s how you can contact your county officials. We need to hear from you!!
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