HERE'S NEWS FROM LAST WEEK:
⇒ 🌟The Washington County Rural Water Authority (WCRWA) met 7/26/24. You can view the meeting here in its entirety: https://www.youtube.com/live/EU5i6YitQso?si=kOAY4T6tJvI0ggBW
Washington County Judge Patrick Deakin spoke to the meeting, which seems to have been a called meeting for the purpose of approving a resolution to convert the Washington Water Authority from a project of the Washington County Rural Development Authority to a Public water authority which is not under the direction of the Rural Development Authority.
After the meeting was called to order, Deakins addressed the board, stating that the Washington Water Authority (WWA) had been through “...quite the history the last couple years…I believe they’ve kind of lost sight of their mission and their service out there to those citizens in the rural part of the county.”
Deakins also said the change would result in its users having more say as to who is on its board, could make it easier to access grants and loans and could provide a discount on homeowner’ insurance, depending on the area’s fire rating. The resolution passed.
If you have questions or comments about this, please let me know. I do not understand the ramifications of this change, or even if it’s a wise move, but I will try to get your answers and would appreciate hearing your comments and thoughts.
⇒ 🌟The Washington County Quorum Court County Services Committee met Monday, 7/29/24. You can view the meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/live/qo_vcBFvlDQ?si=7lre31v8tMChhF6n
The County Services Committee voted to recommend approval of an ordinance calling for a special election for fire dues for the Tontitown Area Fire Department and also a resolution to place the matter of allowing Sunday alcohol sales in Fayetteville on the November 5th general election ballot.
I’ve been asking for months now that the county hold public town halls to gather input from citizens on the proposed zoning ordinance changes and the new zoning map that goes with it. The judge has refused to do so, stating his staff didn’t have the time, etc. We voted last week to send the proposal on to the Washington County Planning Board and they will schedule a (one) public hearing on the proposed changes. I voted yes, with the hope that citizens will come forward with their suggestions and ideas on how this huge process with far reaching effects should be handled, what changes should be made, what’s best for the county, etc.
⇒ 🌟 NO KNOWN WASHINGTON COUNTY MEETINGS THIS WEEK AS OF 8/4/24. The regularly scheduled Finance & Budget Committee meeting has been canceled due to the Arkansas Association of Counties Meeting in Hot Springs this week.
YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE:
⇒ Help the community keep the NWA Community Correction Center in Fayetteville. Learn more about the CCC here. County Judge Deakins is in the process of evicting the Department of Corrections from the facility on College Avenue. He plans to “repurpose” the building for county use. Most likely a satellite jail, though that hasn’t been confirmed other than the “...sheriff and his staff are huddling together…” to come up with a plan.
Ask Deakins, Sheriff Cantrell, your JP, all JPs, how they plan to fund the renovation of the facility to bring it up to current jail standards.
Ask how they plan to staff a satellite jail when we don’t have adequate staffing for our existing jail.
Ask if they’ve conducted a cost analysis or feasibility study for any plans they have for retaking the building.
Ask them to explain why it’s a good financial move to proceed with this project without having a plan for how to pay for and maintain any future county use of the facility.
Ask them if they can assure you that it will not mean a tax increase at some point?
The deadline that the Department of Corrections has set to either leave the building or negotiate a new deal is 8/15/24. There’s not a lot of time, but there’s enough time.
Here’s how you can contact your county officials.
⇒ 🌟 DETENTION CENTER INFORMATION 8/4/24
As of 7/29/24 we had three inmates testing positive for Covid. We had 74 federal prisoners with an average daily total for the last 30 days of 68. Federal prisoners are the ones we hold under contract with the Bureau of Prisons, U. S. Marshall and ICE. There were 160 people sleeping on the floor in the Washington County Detention Center. We have 28 job vacancies in the detention center and nine in enforcement. We had 804 in our jail as of that reporting date. 94 of the people incarcerated are listed as homeless.
Here’s the link to the Detailed Charge Report:
NEW COUNTY BID POSTINGS
🌟 RFQ-2024-01 Architectural Services for Sheriff’s Office Remodel due 8/5/24 by 4:00 PM. Qualifications will be opened 8/6/24, 280 N. College Avenue, Suite 530, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
COUNTY JOB OPENINGS THIS WEEK (8/4/24)
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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