What's worse than a joke no one laughs at?
Washington County Quorum Court.
On April 1, 2022, (the day rent's due) residents of Washington County who were approved for the County's COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program were awakened to the news that the county had in fact, run out of funds and would not be supplying promised emergency assistance.
No one is laughing.
Nurses are renowned for our compassion. We have a ringside seat to more tragedy than the average person will ever experience. And we more often than not, carry trauma of our own.
So I know hurt when I see it:
On 4/12/22, JP Suki Highers took action. She proposed an ordinance to temporarily fund the ERA program with current unspent COVID relief funds the county has totaling in the millions. Let's take a look at our leaders working for us:
Preventing, or in this case fixing, an eviction crisis caused by poor program management by our county should not be a partisan issue.
Callous. Conniving. Conscienceless. Cruel. Cold.
All words I've read to describe current supermajority officials. This is not the leadership I want my kids to grow up under. Imagine a community where leaders were described as another C-word...
Compassionate.
We have compassionate community leaders in Washington County. In order to help those hurt by our county government, a local church started a fundraiser for those families affected. The pastor reports that a majority of families facing eviction are single-mother households. Please donate if you are able at: https://www.facebook.com/donate/648298212897584/5234346979923076/
Compassionate leaders are also stepping up to run for office. In Washington County, we have compassionate candidates in all 15 districts and for county-wide office.
Judicial Branch:
Stephen Coger for Prosecutor. Election is May 24.
Executive Branch:
Josh Moody and Charles Ward, are in a primary election for County Judge.
Legislative Branch:
Sarah Hampton, JP 1 (Tontitown, Elm Springs)
Roger Brooks, JP 2 (West Springdale, Walker school, Randall Tyson park)
Justin Meeks, JP 3 (North Springdale, Neals)
Aaron Howerton, JP 4 (Rodeo grounds, NTI, Parson Hills Elementary, AQ Chicken)
Dawn Cate-Bonner, JP 5 (Sonora, Spring Valley, Goshen)
Michael Mapa, JP 6 (Black Oak, NE Fayetteville, Electric Avenue)
Devonta Dickerson and Sherry Main are in a primary election for JP 7 (Wedington Woods, Catfish Hole, Lake Wedington)
JP Shawndra Washington & Kacee Hawthorne are in a primary election for JP 8 (Agri Park, Garland, UA)
Amanda Foster, JP 10 (Farmington Schools, Boys & Girls Club, Briar Rose Bakery, Creekside Park)
JP Evelyn Rios Stafford, JP 12 (Mt. Sequoyah, Court House, Baum Stadium, Dickson Street, Yvonne Richardson Center)
Dawn Cannon, JP 14 (West Fork, Greenland, Ozark Folkways, Winslow)
And yours truly, Ash Lee Hicks, JP 15 (Mission & Crossover, Lake Sequoyah, Elkins Farmers Market, & Pig Trail)
If you don't know your JP District, reach out to me and we'll figure it out together. If you're not already registered to vote, please do so. Showing up at the polls to elect compassionate leaders is the only way we can make a change. A compassionate community is where I want to raise my kids.