🌟 WASHINGTON COUNTY QUORUM COURT COMBINED COUNTY SERVICES MEETING AND FINANCE & BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING, TUESDAY, 11/12/24, 6:00 PM, WASHINGTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE. In person meeting only. The meeting will be live streamed on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/user/washcoar
Here’s a link to the combined County Services/Finance & Budget Committee meeting agenda for Tuesday 11/12/24. Item 9.1 is the ordinance to rezone property in unincorporated Washington County. I’m getting lots of community feedback on this, which is great, and there’s no way this ordinance and the proposed zoning map is ready to be finalized.
The people in rural Washington County who will actually be impacted by this DO NOT WANT IT! This is similar to the 3,000 bed prison that Governor Sanders is forcing on the people of Franklin County. Why are our elected leaders pushing this when it is obvious the overwhelming majority of people who will actually be impacted by our decision are against it??
Since this is a committee meeting and not a regular quorum court meeting, there will be a twelve minute public comment period before we vote on any ordinance or resolution. There will also be a twelve minute public comment period at the very end of the meeting, after all decisions have been made.
ALSO ON THE FINANCE & BUDGET AGENDA - THE ENTIRE 2025 BUDGET IS UP, I HOPE FOR ONLY DISCUSSION.
→ Here’s a link to the “2025 Master Budget.” This is on the agenda for Tuesday’s Finance & Budget meeting with an ordinance for passage! We have had very little public discussion and have not heard from the department heads concerning their budget requests.
→ Here’s a link to the Ordinance approving the 2025 Master Budget.
→ Here’s a link to the “2025 Supplemental Budget.”
→ Here’s a link to the “2025 Budget Justification Letters.”
HELP GET THREE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC DEFENDER POSITIONS FUNDED FOR 2025:
→ Here’s the exchange that went down when I notified Judge Deakins and others that I wanted to bring an ordinance to fund three new public defender positions. It ends with this note from Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins to me:
“Beth: We continue to revisit history. You as (sic) for our help and guidance to work through something, only for you to turn around and tell us how its (sic) done. How many times must we revisit this definition of insanity?”
It’s like he thinks being mean and disrespectful to me will shut me up and sit me down.
I did call County Attorney Lester the next day and we had a nice discussion. I was informed that I can either (1) make a motion to amend the proposed ordinance for 2025 budget; or (2) after the budget passes, I can bring an ordinance to amend it. Due to an ordinance that was recently passed, I'd have to wait until March to do that.
That makes it harder to get it passed. Other JPs will think I’m just tossing it out there, which is not the case. $108,303.73 x 3 (for three new public defender positions) = $324,911.19 for one year. Well worth it. If each new public defender had just 100 cases to start (I know that's a lot, but they'd likely be nonviolent drug and drug related charges). Getting bond hearings and moving cases through to disposition would be a fast and inexpensive way to reduce our jail overcrowding without doing any of the really hard things that have been recommended and which are are not doing.
If you would like to get three new public defender positions funded for next year, please write letters in support to Judge Deakins and all JPs. That link contains email addresses and most phone numbers.
______________________________________________________________________
→ The Washington County Courthouse will be closed next Monday 11/11/24 in observance of Veterans Day. Thank you to all those who have served and are serving.
______________________________________________________________________
🌟 Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins has cut funding for the HIV Clinic in Washington County for 2025. (We’ve already appropriated funding for all of 2024)
Here are links to the documents I received from the county judge through the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act:
Here is a Zip file to the documents I received from Washington County Deputy Attorney Catherine Baker in response to my FOIA request.
The budget for the HIV Clinic for 2024 was $193,389.80.
This decision was made by the executive branch without any public discussion during a quorum court meeting to inform the JPs.
______________________________________________________________________
🌟 I have also been informed that the budget for the Washington County Legal Help Desk at the Historic Courthouse on Friday mornings has been defunded. Again, this is a quorum court matter, not the county judge or anyone else. We should be voting on this, too.
______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
🌟 DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 11/10/24
As of 11/10/24, there are at least 764 people locked away in our Washington County Detention Center. Most of the people in our jail are “pre-trial” which means they’ve been arrested and/or charged, but are awaiting trial or their day in court. They have not been convicted.
The count is likely higher than the 764 shown on the public facing dashboard, as “restricted bookings” are not posted for the public.
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 11/10/24
🌟 No new bid/RFP postings this week. Here’s the link to current RFQs and bids:
_______________________________________________________________________
COUNTY JOB OPENINGS THIS WEEK (11/10/24)
There’s a new job posting for “Deputy Coroner.” Here’s a link to the other current job postings:
_______________________________________________________________________
🌟 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. We need to hea
Comments