EDITOR’S NOTE: My goal in writing this weekly newsletter is to inspire and empower more residents to actively participate in Washington County government. By staying informed and engaged, together we can ensure that our county government is transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs of all its citizens. Through this newsletter, I aim to provide you with the tools, updates, and opportunities you need to make your voice heard and play a vital role in shaping the future of our community. Let’s work together to build a stronger, more connected Washington County! If you know people who would like to be added to this newsletter’s list serve, please let me know at: ejcoger@gmail.com or text me their email address at 479-306-9994.
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🌟 HAPPENING THIS WEEK: WASHINGTON COUNTY QUORUM COURT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING, THURSDAY, 11/21/24, 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 agenda for Thursday’s quorum court meeting.
Most of the agenda items are on a “Consent Agenda” which means they were passed unanimously out of a committee, either County Services or Finance & Budget. My red flag alert Item 10. AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL AND CALENDAR YEAR 2025 Item 24-0-103 (10.1-10.4)
The new Step Plan for employees is included in the budget and we have had some public meetings and discussions about that. However, we have had zero public discussions about the 2025 budget details. True, JPs and other elected officials, including the comptroller, have had private communications, including meetings in some cases, to discuss and understand the 2025 budget. This is the county not being transparent.
The 2025 budget is around $127 Million Dollars. This year (2024) our budget was $114 Million Dollars. We’ve increased spending by over $13 Million Dollars and have not included the taxpayers and community members of Washington County in any discussions.
The $127 million budget represents more than just numbers; it is a reflection of Washington County’s priorities and the aspirations of its residents. Passing such a significant budget without public input would disregard the principles of transparency, accountability, and participatory democracy. The quorum court has a duty to engage with its constituents and ensure that their voices are heard before making decisions of this magnitude. By holding public meetings and hearings, the court can build trust, enhance community engagement, and ensure that the budget truly serves the needs of all residents.
There will be a fifteen (15) minute public comment period at the beginning of Thursday’s meeting and a twelve (12) minute public comment period before we vote on any resolution or ordinance. I hope community members show up to use all available public comment time. Public comment may be extended upon motion, second, and two-thirds vote of JPs.
🌟 LEARN ABOUT MEETINGS FROM LAST WEEK:
The November joint meeting of Finance & Budget and County Services met last Tuesday. Here’s a link to the video of that meeting.
The proposed zoning regulations and map were discussed at length. Thankfully, the ordinance was tabled again until the next County Services meeting which I believe will be on 12/2/24 at 6:00 PM, Washington County Courthouse.
The people of 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??
During the Finance & Budget Committee meeting I tried to amend the 2025 budget to include three new public defender positions for 2025. The total cost was just under $325,000. JPs Taylor, Wilson, Simons, Bowerman, Lyons, Ecke, Dean, Dennis, Leming, Ricker and Pond voted against. JPs Washington and Rios-Stafford abstained. I was the only JP voting in favor of adding these three new positions.
Funding these new PD positions would have made such a huge difference in tackling our horrendous case backlog and in reducing the time many people sit in jail awaiting trial at a cost of $80.52 per day. We fund the prosecuting attorney’s budget at $2,277,348 for 2025 while we fund the public defender’s budget at only $1,159,667. The prosecuting attorney’s budget increased 13.20% in 2025. The public defenders’ budget increased 5.07% for 2025. Does that look fair to you?
At last Tuesday’s Finance & Budget meeting I also made a motion to table the entire 2025 budget until the next meeting so we could have public input and I couldn’t even get a second. The following JPs voted to send the budget on to the full QC with a “do pass”: Taylor, Wilson, Simons, Bowerman, Ecke, Dean, Washington, Dennis, Rios-Stafford, Ricker and Pond. I voted against, as did Lyons and Leming. My comments start at 1:45:20 in the video.
→ 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.”
🌟 The Washington County Election Commission met Thursday 11/14/24. This was an interesting meeting which you can watch here. We had three people who had cast provisional ballots on election day come and fill out - in person during the meeting - new voter registration forms. Each person thought they were registered to vote in Washington County, but they were not. This is a warning that we should all keep a watch on our voter registration. It’s easy to check your voter status here.
Provisional ballots are ballots that voters use on Election Day or during early voting when, for whatever reason, they cannot be found in the polling book, or they have a different address than is shown, or they don’t have proper identification, etc. After the meeting, none of the outcomes of any race changed.
This shows how important your vote really is. JP District 4 was won by only ten votes! City Council Ward 2 was won by sixteen votes. Remember that as we approach the runoff elections 12/3/24 and early voting before that.
There was another Election Commission meeting Friday afternoon where the numbers from the 11/5/24 general election were certified. Watch here.
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→ The Washington County Courthouse will be closed next Thursday and Friday, 11/28/24 and 11/29/24 in observance of Thanksgiving.
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🌟 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.
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🌟 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.
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🌟 DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 11/17/24
As of 11/17/24, there are at least 791 people locked away in our Washington County Detention Center. The count is likely higher than the 791 shown on the public facing dashboard, as “restricted bookings” are not posted for the public.
As of Tuesday’s meeting there were 136 people sleeping on the floor in the WC Detention Center. 138 women were incarcerated in the WCDC. There were no Covid cases and no one in quarantine.
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 11/17/24
🌟 No new bid/RFP postings this week. Here’s the link to current RFQs and bids:
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COUNTY JOB OPENINGS THIS WEEK (11/17/24)
A new job posting for “Deputy Coroner” has been removed. That may mean the position has already been filled. This is interesting, though, that the county has posted for a “Human Resource Director.” You can read more details about the job description and salary here.
If you know anyone in the HR field, send them this job description which was posted Tuesday 11/12/24 at 1:16 PM, yet it was not brought to the attention of the quorum court at the Finance & Budget meeting that night. Another example of lack of transparency:
Type:Full Time
Salary/Pay Rate:$101,003.65- $113,629.13
Posted Date:11/12/2024 1:16 PM
Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED
Position Title: HR Director
Department: Human Resource
Salary: $101,003.65- $113,629.13
Pay Grade: 26
Workday & Hours: (Monday-Friday Full-Time 8:00-4:30pm Salaried Position)
Here’s a link to the other 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. We need to hear from you!
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