The League of Women Voters of Washington County held its third and final candidate forum for the contested Justice of the Peace races on Wednesday at the Fayetteville Public Library. Twelve of the nineteen declared candidates attended, giving voters a chance to hear directly on issues that affect daily life in Washington County.
Forum format and purpose
League President Michelle Wolchok explained that the forum combined live questions from a moderator with written questions submitted by attendees. All written inquiries were screened for relevance and duplication before being posed to the candidates. Wolchok emphasized that the Justice of the Peace serve on the Washington County Quorum Court, the body that decides the county budget, road projects, and oversight of the sheriff’s office—functions she likened to those of a city council.
District 1: Growth and planning
In District 1, nurse‑turned‑candidate Lou Reed Sharp and incumbent Brad Bruns both stressed the need for thoughtful growth management. Sharp warned, “We have an incredible amount of growth that we need to get our arms around. We need to have some planning and some purposeful discussion.” She highlighted her background in community health and home‑health services in rural Northwest Arkansas, saying her experience helps her bring people together to find solutions.
Bruns, the current Justice of the Peace for District 1, echoed the call for better planning and added that the county should revisit zoning after a previous effort stalled. He advocated for citizen‑input boards to give residents a voice in how different areas of the county develop. Bruns also noted his experience with multimillion‑dollar budgets while working in law enforcement and development in Springdale, and called for a closer look at the county budget to improve transparency.
District 4: Jail conditions and public safety
Incumbent Justice Vladimir Rivera Lopez and challenger Bill Ussery focused on conditions at the county jail. Rivera Lopez disclosed that 171 people sleep on the floor on any given night, urging a discussion of standards of care for those awaiting trial. “Everyone’s innocent until proven guilty,” he said, stressing that the jail’s care should reflect that principle.
Ussery agreed that bed space is a critical issue and described his work with currently incarcerated and recently released individuals to develop job skills and break the cycle of re‑incarceration. He warned against a “revolving door” and called for programs that keep people productive and out of jail.
Additional priorities
Rivera Lopez also highlighted the county’s rapid growth and the linguistic diversity of his district, noting that more than 70 languages are spoken. He said he has helped ensure emergency services can communicate effectively with non‑English‑speaking residents, understanding the challenges families face when language barriers exist.
Ussery pointed to employee turnover in county departments and advocated for a zoning plan that balances the needs of both rural and more developed parts of Washington County. He promised to bring “clarity and some common ground” to the Quorum Court.
Voting information
Early voting in Washington County is underway through November 2, with Election Day scheduled for November 3. Voters are encouraged to review the candidates’ positions and cast their ballots for the Justice of the Peace seats that will shape the county’s budget, infrastructure and public‑safety policies for the coming years.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
