LAST WEEK’S MEETINGS:
The Washington County Election Commission met Thursday 8/9/24. Watch the meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/live/mcFELhwNoaY?si=XUUJQKNzJ2wZdaZ8
Look at those designs! The “I Voted” sticker contest brought in 54 applications from area school-age residents. The commissioners chose six finalists. That was hard considering all the designs were so great. The public will be allowed to vote online and in person for their favorite beginning 8/23/24 through 8/26/24.
Follow the Washington County Election Commission on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/votewashco to be informed when the voting starts and details on how that will work.
Starting at 29:50 in the video the commissioners discuss the ballot draw which will be held at 9:00 am 8/23/24 in the Quorum Court Room, WC Courthouse. Commissioners voted that candidates in attendance will be allowed to draw first, even if their name is not listed first on the candidate list. If multiple candidates are there, then drawing will depend on the filing order of the candidates. Candidates are allowed to send representatives, but candidates in attendance will take precedence over a candidate’s representative.
Budget discussion starts at 32:28 in the video. Election Coordinator Jennifer Price told the commissioners that the only significant change in this year’s budget was the reduction in the small equipment line item. Ms. Price stated, “...we were asked to really try and, you know, be tight with our budgets for this year…”
Jennifer Price, Washington County Election Coordinator, and her staff run the most transparent and open department in our entire Washington County government. Transparency is always important, but especially so when it comes to our elections and getting information out to the public.
UPDATE ON THE NWA COMMUNITY CORRECTION CENTER (“CCC”)
(It’s not good)
🌟 Re: The CCC (women’s prison in Fayetteville) I was told Friday by an Arkansas Department of Corrections Board member that Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins had sent a letter to the DOC that he was going to follow through on plans to “repurpose the facility.” The center’s staff has already started making preparations to have a complete shutdown. This is expected to take at least fifteen days, but not more than thirty days. As of Friday, there were between 35 and 40 women still at the facility.
The 2020 Criminal Justice Assessment Study prepared by the National Center for State Courts had this to say about our CCC (P. 119):
"NWA CCC, the female center in Fayetteville, is a model for jails and prisons."
It was a model, not just a model for Arkansas, but for the whole country. It was actually a treatment center, focusing on drug and alcohol treatment, but doing so much more. Do you know of any facility that has over 350 community volunteers from 24 different volunteer groups? I don’t.
I want to thank all our wonderful community members who have advocated tirelessly to keep the center here.
It’s another major setback for justice in Washington County, for the poor, for those suffering through drug and alcohol treatment, for their families and for the future. Washington County is taking steps backward with justice reform and instead is choosing to do the same things and have the same policies we’ve had for the last fifty to sixty years and they are not working. 👣👣We should be leading the state with all our resources, not just financial resources, but all the wisdom and knowledge at the University of Arkansas and all our dedicated community members who want to serve. Since last October we’ve lost:
The Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee
The Crisis Stabilization Unit
The NWA CCC (happening now)
Here’s how you can contact your county officials.
🌟 WASHINGTON COUNTY QUORUM COURT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING, in person only, Thursday 8/15/24, 6:00 PM, WASHINGTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE. Meeting will be live-streamed on the Washington County YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/washcoar
Here’s the Agenda for the meeting with some highlights below:
The consent agenda includes 11/5/24 special election on the question of levy of annual dues for the Tontitown Volunteer Fire Department and the question of authorizing Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption within the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
There is a fifteen minute public comment period at the beginning of the meeting (Item 5) and each person may speak for up to three minutes on any issue.
There will be a twelve minute public comment time before we vote on any resolution or ordinance.
In addition to the six items on the consent agenda, there are two conditional use permit (CUP) ordinances. They are Item 9 for Desert Sand Commercial Buildings Project and Item 10, the Kramer Facility Project. These were heard at the 7/11/24 Planning Board meeting. You can read all the details, see drawings, and lots of other information here about these projects. Desert Sand (commercial - multi-use warehouse) is located at 7645 W. John Garrison Road, Fayetteville. Kramer Facilities will be located at 10508 N Hwy 265, Fayetteville. It will be a detergent factory.
Resolution by JP Ed Bowerman to “Enhance Transparency in Resolutions.”
⇒ 🌟 DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 8/10/24
As of 8/10/24, there are 773 people reported as incarcerated in our county jail. 93 of the people incarcerated are listed as homeless. 262 holds for other departments. 212 failure to appear charges. 57 courtesy/contract holds and 62 are for probation violations.
Here’s the link to the Detailed Charge Report:
NEW CHIEF OF STAFF FOR JUDGE DEAKINS: JPs were informed 8/6/24 that the judge’s new Chief of Staff is Michael Stewart. COS Stewart has been with the WC Sheriff’s Office for thirteen years. He’s worked security at the courthouse for several years. He is a veteran of the US Air Force and lives outside Elkins with his wife and five daughters. Congratulations COS Stewart.
COUNTY BID POSTINGS
🌟 RFQ-2024-01 Architectural Services for Sheriff’s Office Remodel bids were opened 8/6/24 but nothing online about the bids submitted or tabulation. I will have more on that next week.
No new bids or RFQs as of this writing.
COUNTY JOB OPENINGS THIS WEEK (8/10/24)
Here’s a link to the current job postings: https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/government/departments-f-z/human-resources/job-postings
Notice the Chief of Staff position for the county judge is gone, so apparently that position has been filled. We (the QC) have not been informed of such.
There’s a new posting for “Deputy Public Defender” full time, $75,377.07 - $84,799.20. Check out all the postings at the above link.
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