Background
Hi everyone, I’m Amanda Foster and I’m running to be your next JP for district 10. I grew up in this district and was a graduate of Farmington High School. From there I went on to the University of Arkansas, majoring in Agriculture Business with a minor in Communications. I currently live in Farmington and work as a Mortgage Underwriter, so I see first hand just how the markets work and how they influence our daily lives. Being in the banking industry almost ten years, I have a firm grasp on economics and financial stewardship. I am a member of the Washington County Search and Rescue K-9 unit and mounted unit, combining my love for animals with my passion for helping our community. I am married and have two wonderful children. I am a member of Farmington Church of Christ and hold firm in Jesus’ commandment to love one another. I want to be your next JP because I believe our county deserves better. The citizens of Washington County deserve a JP who will listen to both sides and vote based on what is best for the community. Let’s work together to foster the change that is so desperately needed.


Professionalism
For the past 2 years I watched as the current Quorum Court became bogged down with national partisan rhetoric which has caused some of the day to day services necessary for our county to run properly (such as county road maintenance) to fall by the wayside. There has also been very little cooperation between the 2 parties. I believe in listening to the other side and maintaining a degree of professionalism when debating an issue. An elected official should always present themselves and treat their colleagues in a professional manner. While I may not always agree with someone, I promise to be respectful and listen, and try to find common ground.

Stewardship
As I mentioned previously, I have an extensive background in business and banking. I believe the JP is elected to be a good steward of county tax dollars. I believe in doing the most good for the most people without carelessly spending tax dollars. The people of our district have entrusted their JP with their hard earned money and I take that very serious. I will not vote on any resolution without listening to both sides and evaluating the true cost to the community.

Common Sense
The Washington County Quorum Court has passed resolutions based on party lines without acknowledging the potential consequences. I promise to approach each item with common sense, regardless of party lines or personal gain. We must be able to be objective and look at things from a community stand point instead of letting national politics or personal interest cloud our judgement.

Jail Expansion
One of the biggest issues brought forth by our current Quorum Court is the expansion of Washington County jail. I have toured the jail and I’ve seen firsthand the overcrowding. I know it’s a problem. But the cost of the expansion is extensive. In 2019 the Quorum Court paid for an outside study to see if there were other, less costly alternatives to expanding the jail. There were several alternatives mentioned, but to date none of them have been tried. I firmly believe we owe it to tax payers to exhaust all options before pushing the burden on them. Our jail is currently understaffed, so how does the county plan on staffing the expansion? My bet would be they intent for this tax increase to be permanent to pay for the upkeep and staffing as well. Let’s be clear- I’m all about giving the police the tools they need to keep us safe. But I believe if we invest in some reform programs it will be mutually beneficial for both law enforcement and the offenders. We can help them become productive members of society if we can treat the issues that are driving them to this life. Let’s expand drug court, start a mental health court, and let’s shorten the time between booking and the pre-trial hearing. Let’s try those first before we raise taxes. That’s part of being a good steward.