🌟 The Washington County Quorum Court met Thursday 8/15/24 for its regular monthly meeting. Here’s the video which I hope you will watch. I will summarize, but as someone said “a video is worth a million words:”
🌟 Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins says during the quorum court meeting Thursday, linked above, that JP Coger is “lying.” I don't know that a Washington County Judge has ever called a JP a liar to their face in a public meeting (perhaps in private), but that's exactly what happened. This was when I said during our public meeting that the judge and/or county attorney had refused nine (9) times since 1/1/23 to place items on the agenda when I requested. I have emails from each instance and can document showing they refused to place ordinances or resolutions on the various agendas for me.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this incident. Please email at ejcoger@gmail.com or text/phone 479-306-9994.
It starts at 35:31 in the video above. I was speaking against the Bowerman resolution (more on that below) because I fear, if passed, either by resolution or ordinance, that the judge and county attorney will weaponize it to keep me (and possibly other JPs) from putting unpopular agenda items (whatever they don’t like) on the agenda.
They’ve done that many times previously.
Here’s proof of his refusal to place items on the agenda for me. Others are on my county email account and I am unable to access those. Ongoing problem.
SUMMARY OF OUR EXCHANGE:
35:31 JP Coger: “... I've documented nine times since January 2023 when the judge and or the County Attorney have refused to place items on the agenda for me, items of legislation that I wanted to bring forward to this court. I don't know if that's happened to any other JPS…(judge interrupts me)
Judge Deakins: Justice Coger are you going to talk about this ordinance…
JP Coger: I am talking about it…
Judge Deakins: …and I would like to also correct the record because I'm tired of you lying. I'm tired of you doing this in the meetings like this that we always email every single one of you when we deny something on the agenda so every one of you are aware of the reasons why we did that just so that you can have the ability to override me in this meeting if you so see fit. Okay please keep your comments Germaine to the ordinance.
JP Coger: I'm doing that judge if you would not interrupt me… So I don't know if any other JPS have experienced that but I'm fearful that this resolution will be weaponized to create more obstacles, not just for me but for other JPS who want to bring legislation to the court when that legislation is not popular with the executive branch…
Judge Deakins: …she got it in, didn't she? Next up…”
The consent agenda was approved, including the special election for the levy of Tontitown Volunteer Fire Department dues and the ballot question of authorizing Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption within the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas which will be on the November general election ballot.
In addition to the following conditional use permit (CUP) ordinances were approved: Desert Sand Commercial Buildings Project and the Kramer Facility Project. Here’s more on those CUPs. You can read all the details, see drawings, and lots of other information here about these projects.
Resolution by JP Ed Bowerman to “Enhance Transparency in Resolutions” was referred to committee, likely County Services. (It was never in committee and its first public appearance was on the QC agenda last week. Resolutions aren’t required to go through committee first, but I always do that so there can be more public feedback and information gathering. Public feedback is essential). This legislation is an ordinance disguised as a resolution. No fault of JP Bowerman. He’s new on the court and the wording of the resolution was evidently approved by Brian Lester, County Attorney. His intentions were good. The resolution is not. Read more here on that.
SUMMARY OF OUR EXCHANGE:
35:31 JP Coger: “... I've documented nine times since January 2023 when the judge and or the County Attorney have refused to place items on the agenda for me, items of legislation that I wanted to bring forward to this court. I don't know if that's happened to any other JPS…(judge interrupts me)
Judge Deakins: Justice Coger are you going to talk about this ordinance…
JP Coger: I am talking about it…
Judge Deakins: …and I would like to also correct the record because I'm tired of you lying. I'm tired of you doing this in the meetings like this that we always email every single one of you when we deny something on the agenda so every one of you are aware of the reasons why we did that just so that you can have the ability to override me in this meeting if you so see fit. Okay please keep your comments Germaine to the ordinance.
JP Coger: I'm doing that judge if you would not interrupt me… So I don't know if any other JPS have experienced that but I'm fearful that this resolution will be weaponized to create more obstacles, not just for me but for other JPS who want to bring legislation to the court when that legislation is not popular with the executive branch…
Judge Deakins: …she got it in, didn't she? Next up…”
UPDATE ON THE NWA COMMUNITY CORRECTION CENTER (“CCC”)
What's really sad, though, is that we're losing the NWA Community Correction Center. Below is a copy of the letter County Judge Deakins sent to the Arkansas Department of Corrections on the retaking of the county owned facilities which now house the NWA CCC. The judge pushed through with this despite an outpouring of community support to keep the CCC here. I’ve never seen such community involvement as the effort of over 350 volunteers from 24 organizations who worked for and advocated to keep the center here.
The state is in the process of moving the last dozen or so women out of the facility. Now what? We’ve lost a valuable community asset for no good reason. Did we play a game of chicken with the DOC and lose? Now, we, the taxpayers of Washington County will suffer the consequences. Whatever they may be.
The bright side of all this is that I have met so many wonderful people who really care about helping people who are less fortunate. They want to give people second chances. They want to provide them with actual resources, training, education and guidance. I have formed many new friendships which I intend to maintain. They realize we can never build a jail large enough if we don’t address the root causes of our over-incarceration. This is not over. It’s just beginning.
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."
NOW IT’S GONE. THE CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT IS GONE. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COMMITTEE IS GONE.
Here’s how you can contact your county officials.
🌟 WASHINGTON COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, in person only, Thursday 8/22/24, 5:00 PM, WASHINGTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE. Meeting will be live-streamed on the Washington County YouTube Channel: https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/government/departments-f-z/planning/meetings
Here’s the full agenda for Thursday’s meeting.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Greenland Planning Area
a. Red Hawk CUP
Applicant: John Ogle (owner: Lori Devecsery)
Location Address: 10637 SE Campbell Rd WC 63. Fayetteville, AR, 72701
Proposed Use: Commercial - Mobile Storage Containers (HogBox)
b. Shamrock Acres Minor Subdivision
Applicant: Bates & Associates
Location Address: 12391 Shamrock Rd. Farmington, AR 72730
Proposed Use: Single-Family Residential
c. Shop Solutions Final LSD
Final Land Development Request
Location Address: 20221 Sonora Rd. WC 93. Springdale, AR 72764
Proposed Use: Commercial – Multi-Use Warehouse
d. Custom Lawn Care & Landscaping Final LSD Phase I
Final Land Development Request
Applicant: Earthplan Design Alternatives
Location Address: 4551 E Monitor Rd. WC 91. Springdale, AR 72764
Proposed Use: Commercial - Landscaping
⇒ 🌟 DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 8/17/24
As of 8/17/24, there are 760 people reported as incarcerated in our county jail (likely more as some bookings are “restricted” and don’t show on the public dashboard) 92 of the people incarcerated are listed as homeless. 251 holds for other departments. 219 failure to appear charges. 55 courtesy/contract holds and 64 are for probation violations.
Here’s the link to the Detailed Charge Report:
COUNTY BID POSTINGS
🌟 No new bids or RFQs as of this writing.
COUNTY JOB OPENINGS THIS WEEK (8/18/24)
Here’s a link to the current job postings: https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/government/departments-f-z/human-resources/job-postings
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