Democratic candidate Dana Deree runs for Washington County judge
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Dana Deree. Photo: Courtesy of Dana Deree
Washington County Judge Democratic candidate Dana Deree emphasized practical solutions and told Axios he's running in part because he feels for vulnerable and working people.
Case in point: Deree wants to reinstate the Justice Coordination Committee, which has been defunct since 2023, on Day 1 to bring together criminal justice entities and stakeholders to come up with recommendations.
- He wants to collaborate with the quorum court, judges, sheriff and prosecutor to ensure public safety with a more humane approach, noting that people who aren't convicted of crimes are sleeping at the jail because they can't afford bail. Deree, who says he grew up poor and aged out of foster care before joining the military, added that such practices perpetuate a cycle of poverty and detainees' children go into foster care.
- "For people who aren't motivated by the compassion, it costs upwards of $100 a day per detainee, and the money that we save can be used for other public safety measures and things like roads and bridges," he said.
- Deree would like to have programs similar to the former Northwest Arkansas Community Correction Center, which provided treatment and counseling to women inmates, for men and women. He said the facility helped reduce recidivism rates, and the county should go through a formal process with the Justice Coordination Committee before entering partnerships with organizations to move programs forward.
How it works: County judges in Arkansas aren't exactly judges. They are the chief executive officers of the county government and preside over the elected quorum court, similar to how a mayor presides over a city council.
- The judge authorizes the disbursement of county funds, hires some county employees and oversees county roads as well as departments like emergency management, planning and juvenile detention, according to the county's website.
- They serve four-year terms. The salary in Washington County is about $170,000, according to the county budget.
State of play: Deree, 57, is a retired diplomat, Marine Corps veteran and former high school teacher. He also served as a Navy officer for 10 years and owned a business focused on staffing for farmers and seasonal work like landscaping. He has a master's degree from Harding University and lives in Fayetteville.
- He ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Zoom in: Deree wants to hire more people in the county's planning department and says the county needs more land-use policy, taking into account property rights and housing affordability.
- "Specifically for data centers, I am in favor of ordinances that prevent any large-scale industrial operation that would threaten access to water for the community or drive up electric rates or otherwise negatively impact residents — lights, noise, etc.," Deree said.
- Deree wants to work with municipalities on regulating land uses immediately adjacent to cities, which he said cities should be in charge of, but he pointed to a 2025 law that strips their ability to do that.
The bottom line: The county has seen too much partisanship, Deree said. The county judge role is a practical one, and he's not concerned about professionals' politics as long as they're doing the people's business, he said. He also expressed a need for more transparency and better Freedom of Information Act training.
What's next: Early voting starts Oct. 19, and Election Day is Nov. 3.
- The deadline to register to vote in the election is Oct. 5. Check your voter registration and polling places.
More from Axios: Republican candidate Tim Shepard