If you know people who would like to be added to this newsletter’s mail list, please let me know at: ejcoger@gmail.com or text me 479-306-9994. Thank you to all my subscribers!
→ I am so excited to be sworn in to begin my second term as Justice of the Peace for District 9 in Washington County and for all of Washington County. Thank you to everyone who came and all the well wishes I have received. I will always work to be transparent, prepared, available and kind.
UPCOMING PUBLIC MEETINGS WEEK OF 1/5/25
(As of 12/4/25 @ 1:00 pm)
🌟 Washington County Planning and Zoning Board Meeting, Thursday 1/9/25 at 5:00 PM, Washington County Courthouse. In person meeting only. You can read the entire agenda here. Here’s a link to the full presentation with maps, drawings, notes, lots of information on each item. Here’s the link to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/user/washcoar
AGENDA SUMMARY:
ZBA: Lot 5A Magnolia Acres Variance - Acreage 18488 Lake Sequoyah Rd., Fayetteville, AR. Proposed Use: Non-Buildable Lot. Applicant Alan Reid & Associates. .04 acre
Moonlight on the White Rentals CUP, 18250 Saddlebock Ln, Springdale, AR; Applicants Christy Stigge. Proposed Use: Commercial – Kayak, Canoe, and Fishing Gear Rentals. 4.38 acres
Arkansas Mailing Services CUP, 10504 & 10506 Hwy 265, Greenland, AR. Applicant: Jon Jones. Proposed Use: Commercial – Mailing Services - 6.08 acres.
Devil’s Den Proving Ground, 12743 W Hwy 265, West Fork, AR. Applicant: Brahm Driver and Michael Davis. Proposed Use: Commercial – Office Space Building. 10.03 acres
Replat Lot 5A Magnolia Acres Subdivision I 18488 Lake Sequoyah Rd., Fayetteville, AR. Applicant: Alan Reid & Associates. Proposed Use: Single-Family Residential 6.03 acres
Devil’s Den Proving Ground Preliminary Large Scale Development (LSD) Plat I 12743 W Hwy 265, West Fork, AR. Applicant Braham Driver & Michael Davis. Proposed Use: Commercial - Office Space Building 10.03 acres.
Desert Sand Commercial Buildings Preliminary LSD 7645 W. John Garrison Rd., Fayetteville, AR. Applicant: Joseph Warren. Proposed Use: Commercial – Multi Use Warehouse. 32.00 acres / 1 parcel (5 acres will be used)
Other Business: Discussion of Current Development and Planning Department activities
THE COMBINED FINANCE & BUDGET AND COUNTY SERVICES MEETING SCHEDULED FOR 1/7/25 WAS CANCELLED FRIDAY 1/3/25 AT 3:19 PM
Here’s the email we received from Mr. David Allen, the QC Coordinator:
I do not understand how we cannot have “agenda items” with all that’s going on in the county right now. Here’s my ask that the meeting be held as scheduled:
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:
You can read the most recent version of the zoning ordinance here. The latest zoning map is here. The County Services Committee will take this important matter up at its February meeting scheduled for Monday, February 3, 2025, 6:00 PM, Washington County Courthouse.
If you have questions or want to suggest amendments to the ordinance and/or map, please let me know.
There are new job postings on the county's website for (1) Planner; and (2) Planner Technician. More information below on that. I don't know if these are new positions or positions that have been vacant and unfilled.
🌟 DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 1/3/25
As of 1/3/25, there are at least 783 people locked 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.
74 of the detainees list addresses as either “homeless” or “1832 S School Street - the address of Seven Hills Homeless Shelter. That’s down a few from last week.
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!
_______________________________________________________________________
COUNTY BID POSTINGS 1/5/25
🌟 There’s a bid for “Engineering Services for Road Department” RFQ 2024-02. This was posted 12/23/24 and responses are due by 4:00 pm, 1/27/25 and will be opened 1/28/25 at 9:00 o’clock am.
OTHER POSTINGS RECENT:
(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:
_______________________________________________________________________
COUNTY JOB OPENINGS THIS WEEK (1/5/25)
There’s a new “Planner” position open.
Type:Full Time
Salary/Pay Rate:$21.91 - $24.14
Posted Date:12/30/2024
Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED
Position Title: Planner
Department: Planning
Salary: $21.91 - $24.14
Pay Grade: 10
Workday & Hours: Monday- Friday 8am-4:30pm
Also a new posting for “Planning Technician.”
Type:Full Time
Salary/Pay Rate:$21.25 - $22.31
Posted Date:12/30/2024
Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED
Position Title: Planning Technician
Department: Planning
Salary: $21.25 - $22.31
Pay Grade: 9
Workday & Hours: Monday- Friday 8am-4:30pm
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
🌟 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!!