Future responsibilities of county still unknown

Last fall, through funds made available by the U.S. Congress, the state opened applications for counties and municipalities to receive funds to help defray the financial impact of the pandemic. Even though Washington County demonstrated eligible expenses well in excess, we received the maximum allotted to our county of $4.5 million. The intent of these funds is to ensure that the county can meet its obligations in serving its citizens.

Even prior to the CARES Act reimbursement funds becoming a reality, last year our elected officials worked together to make prudent spending cuts. These were difficult decisions that included hiring freezes and employee furloughs. I applaud the actions they took to combat the unknown and ensure the county remained solvent and capable of conducting its duties. When you couple these actions with the fact that the Northwest Arkansas economy has been incredibly resilient throughout the pandemic, the county is currently financially stable. While we all pray the worst of the pandemic is behind us, the reality is the adverse effects are not over. Our duty as justices of the peace is to protect the public treasury and allocate the taxpayers’ money in the most efficient and effective manner for the benefit of all Washington County citizens. We must remain cautious as we continue to evaluate our financial commitments now and into the future.

The fact remains that we have not seen the full financial impact of the pandemic on the county’s budget, both from the point of view of postponed spending and unforeseen expenses we might encounter in the future. We know of significant expenses we will have in the short term. There are currently plans under way to add air purification systems to our county buildings to ensure the health and safety of county employees and the public. The judicial courts have been largely shuttered for close to a year now. It is our constitutional duty to fund and provide for them. As they fully reopen and work through their case backlog, there will be an influx of funding needed. In the long term, there are discussions on how we can help our small businesses by ensuring they can reopen so employers can get people back to work. It is a realistic possibility that the county could participate in or host mass vaccination campaigns as more of the vaccine becomes available and the vaccine priority continues to widen.

All our elected officials and county leaders are aware of the need that this pandemic has created for some citizens. County officials are working every day to ensure assistance is being allocated to where it can be responsibly. There are a number of resources currently available to those who need it. Thanks to County Judge Joseph Wood and his staff, the county received a $7.1 million grant for rental assistance to help those in need. The Springdale and Fayetteville housing authorities are currently working to distribute this assistance. These funds, coupled with enhanced unemployment benefits and Centers for Disease Control eviction moratoriums and other relief mechanisms, are there to ease the burden on those impacted by the pandemic. We are all dedicated to doing all we can to help our neighbors. We are in the initial phases of distributing the rental assistance, and we will continue to assess the situation as this aid reaches those who have been impacted by the pandemic.

These are unprecedented and challenging times, but like always, there are finite resources. There are some among us who seem committed to stirring controversy, and I call them out only to bring attention to the counterproductive effect they are having on the process. Specifically, a small group of self-interested individuals have employed tactics of personal attacks, harassment and misinformation to satisfy their goals in this discussion. Their caustic approach has only complicated and delayed the process of getting funds to those citizens who need it the most, even resulting in a non-profit service provider opting the out of partnering with the county to distribute funds. I take solace in knowing that this behavior is not the character of Washington County and its citizens. I call on everyone with true motives to seek the facts and join the discussion. By working together, we can magnify the fellowship that makes our county so great and help one another heal from this pandemic.