Deakins, Scalise set for runoff

FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County voters will choose the Re pub lican Party nominee for county judge in a June 21 runoff election between Patrick Deakins and Mark Scalise.

Sc ali se finished first with 6,445 votes ( 32%) and Deakins was second with 4,657 votes ( 23%) in the May 24 Republican Party primary election. Sharon Lloyd came in third with 4,189 votes (21%) and Tom Terminella was the fourthplace candidate with 3,814 votes ( 19%) in that race. Since no candidate received a majority of the votes, the top two vote- getters advanced to the runoff.

All registered voters are eligible to vote in the Republican runoff except those who voted in the Democratic Party primary election.

The runoff winner will face Democrat Josh Moody in the November general election.

In his May 17 financial report, Scalise stated he had a zero balance on Jan. 1. He reported a total of $16,200 in contributions and $14,374 in expenditures through May 14.

Deakins reported May 17 he had a balance of $21,209 on Jan. 1. He received $21,555 in contributions and reported $20,165 in expenditures through May 14. In a second report, covering the period from May 15 to June 5, Deakins said he began that period with a balance of $43,850. He reported $8,200 in contributions and $28,164 in expenditures.

County judges are the chief executive officers for Arkansas county governments, overseeing the county road department and other departments and maintaining county facilities. County judges serve four-year terms. The Washington County judge’s annual salary is $141,470.

Scalise, an attorney with a background in engineering, said before the May 24 primary he’s running because he has a passion for public service and wants to bring his experience in the private sector to government. He said county government should be constantly reviewing its policies and procedures.

Scalise has said he favors expanding the jail. Sheriff Tim Helder has asked the Quorum Court to put an expansion plan with a dedicated funding source on the ballot in November. Scalise said in a previous interview an expansion plan similar to the one proposed in 2018 may not be eligible for federal American Rescue Plan money. An expansion plan with a temporary sales tax as a funding mechanism should be presented to voters, he has said.

Scalise declined to be interviewed for this story.

Deakins is a justice of the peace serving his second term on the Quorum Court. He said his first concern is to take care of county employees, including keeping pay and benefits competitive with the private sector. The Road Department has been constantly losing employees to private companies, he said. The Quorum Court recently approved a new pay plan for Road Department employees, and Deakins said county government needs to monitor the department and others to ensure they don’t fall behind.

Deakins also said the county has to decide how to handle crowding at the jail. He has also said he favors the expansion plan proposed by Helder, and the county should use federal money if possible to offset at least some of the cost.

Deakins said Monday his message has remained the same since the primary election, stressing his experience in county government.

“We’ve been very clear in what we want to do,” Deakins said. “We want to bring greater efficiency to Washington County government and at the same time do a better job of planning for and managing the growth in this region.”

Deakins said the message he’s hearing from voters as the runoff election nears is very basic.

“People want the county to deliver the services they need and have come to expect, like high- quality roads and bridges,” Deakins said. “I’m also hearing lots of support for our law enforcement and first-responders.”

Deakins said he still encounters voters who lack a clear understanding of how county governments are organized and function in Arkansas, saying some newcomers are confused by the title of county judge. But in his conversations, he said, voters agree they value someone who understands the workings of county government.

“The county judge is going to have a very significant impact on people’s lives on a day-to-day basis,” Deakins said. “Washington County needs a county judge that’s going to hit the ground running on day one.”

Deakins

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