COLLECTOR

announces second bid.

FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County Collector Angela Wood hopes voters will decide to keep her in office.

“I enjoy helping the taxpayers of Washington County,” Wood said.

Wood, 36, of Fayetteville is a Republican serving her first term.

She’s a Springdale High School graduate, has been married to husband Matt for 16 years and has a 3-year-old son.

Wood said if re-elected she will strive to make the office more efficient and look for ways to improve.

Her job duties include collecting personal property and real estate taxes helping pay for county services. Wood earns $97,615 in her position. That amount is based on state law and her experience.

No one else has announced

plans yet to run against Wood. The candidate filing period started Thursday and ends at noon March 1.

Wood worked in the Collector’s Office 12 years before being elected in 2016 but has been interested in the office since she was a child, she said. Wood’s grandmother was an employee who often took Wood to the office.

“It’s always been interesting to me,” Wood said.

Wood said she reorganized and streamlined the office. Wood started using email to directly communicate with taxpayers. The office also now provides electronic tax statements, Wood said.

To make the office more welcoming to taxpayers, Wood created space for one-on-one meetings, she said.

Wood negotiated a reduced fee for taxpayers who want to use a credit card to pay their taxes, she said. The fee dropped to 1.9 percent from 2.25 percent, Wood said. Paying by credit card is now cheaper and easier than before, Wood said.

Wood said she enjoys working with the public and other elected officials. She is a member of the Arkansas County Tax Collectors Association.

“I love working with the people of Washington County, helping them resolve issues that work for all involved,” Wood said.

Wood