⇛OLLI CLASS: "COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN ARKANSAS," TUESDAY, 10/8/24, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Attorney Steve Zega and I will be teaching an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute UofA class with focus on Washington County. If you would like to attend, please register at www.olli.uark.edu Tomorrow 10/7/24 is last day to register. This should be fun and informative!
⇛Wednesday, 10/9/24, 11:00 AM, I will be on a panel to discuss the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act at The Medium, 214 S. Main Street, Springdale.
⇛Thursday, 10/10/24, 8:00 am, Sarah Moore and I will speak at the Leadership Fayetteville Conference, 113 W Mountain Street, Fayetteville. I will speak as to county government and Sarah will speak about her role in city government.
WASHINGTON COUNTY GOVERNMENTAL MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK OF 10/6/24:
🌟 The Washington County Finance & Budget Committee meets at 6:00 PM, Tuesday, 10/8/24 at the Washington County Courthouse. This is an in-person meeting only. The meeting will live-streamed on the County’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/washcoar
If you are able, please attend this meeting. These are your tax dollars that we’ll be spending. Here is the agenda for F&B.
Some items to highlight:
The Treasurer’s Report (Starting @ Item 4.1)
Item 4.2 shows County General Property Taxes received in September of $528,267.05 with a total year to date of $10,216,845.86
Item 4.3 ARPA Obligations & Expenditures
One-Cent Sales Tax (WC Share) $904,009.44 with a total year to date of $8,044,433.63
Quarter-Cent Sales Tax (WC Jail) $1,376,896.85 for a year to date total of $12,224,508.22
Item 6.1 Comptroller’s Report
Item 6.3 Washington County’s 2025 Proposed Budget (with STEP Plan). Link to “Easy Read” STEP Plan. Budget Control Requests. Quorum Court Budget Discussion 9/10/24.
Item 6.6 is the 2025 Proposed Budget (without STEP Plan).
2025 Budget “Talking Points” as shared with all JPs.
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THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK IN WASHINGTON COUNTY GOVERNMENT:
The Washington County Quorum Court County Services Committee met Monday 9/30/24. You can watch the meeting here: https://youtu.be/NUkOCA_zfuE?si=USv3MLVC-xdpEvEV
The new zoning rules and regulation ordinance was tabled again until the next County Services meeting which, at this time, will likely be Monday, 10/28/24 at 6:00 pm (it’s not yet posted on the county calendar). We had a good discussion about the ordinance, but as of the meeting and today, we still do not have a copy of the proposal with the latest changes.
One thing that concerns me about the ordinance, and I spoke about that, is that the ordinance as written places too much power in the executive branch. For example:
The Administrative Officer is designated by the County Judge
The County Engineer is designated by the County Judge
The Washington County Planning Board is appointed by the County Judge (subject to approval by QC)
The County Road Superintendent is designated by the County Judge
The County Surveyor is designated by the County Judge
The Zoning Official is designated by the County Judge
The Zoning Board of Adjustment is appointed by the County Judge (subject to QC approval)
The PB and ZBA must submit their budget requests to the County Judge for approval
All street and road extensions shall meet all design standards
unless approved by the County Judge in writing.
Decisions of the Planning Board are appealable to the County Judge
Decisions of Road Superintendent appealable to the County Judge and his decision is final
(There's more)
Judge Deakins, Chair of County Services, interrupted me while I was speaking, in violation of Robert’s Rules of Order. This starts at 37:02 in the video: https://youtu.be/NUkOCA_zfuE?si=USv3MLVC-xdpEvEV
Additionally, he accused a member of the public who was sitting on the front row of speaking and disrupting the meeting. Let me make it clear: It was Judge Deakins who violated the rules and interrupted a speaker (me) who had the floor. 2:20:28
Thank you to everyone in the community that came to the meeting and, especially, to those who spoke during public comment time. I've heard privately from some of you since that meeting and appreciate you reaching out to me.
Public comment period starts at 2:20:28 in the video and I urge you to listen to all the citizens’ comments. They’re very informative and we must have public input and guidance in moving forward with every aspect of the new zoning regulations, especially the new zoning map. YOUR VOICE MATTERS!
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DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 10/6/24
As of 10/5/24, there are at least 742 people locked away in our Washington County Detention Center. Most of those are pretrial - meaning they’ve been arrested and/or charged, but have not been found guilty. 81 of those people are listed as being homeless. The unsheltered population consists mostly of young people in their 20s, 30s or 40s, up to 50. There are 14 people who are listed as unsheltered or homeless that are age 50+.
Here’s the link to the Detailed Charge Report:
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 10/6/24
🌟 No new bid/RFP postings this week. Here’s the link to current RFQs and bids:
COUNTY JOB OPENINGS THIS WEEK (10/624)
Here’s a link to the current job postings:
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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
Do you have a court date in Benton or Washington County? Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition (AJRC) has a program to train volunteers to offer practical, procedural, and emotional support during your court hearing. From a reassuring check-in before your court date, to standing by your side on the day of court. Everyone deserves to be heard, supported, and understood.
To request a Court Support Volunteer, please fill out the Courtside Support Request Form. Questions? Concerns? Reach out to us at arkansasjusticereform@gmail.org.
To become a volunteer, contact AJRC at 479-345-1150 or the above email. They provide training that will help make you become a great Court Support Volunteer.
Here’s how you can contact your county officials.
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