WARREN, Ark. – The Warren City Council convened for its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at the Warren Municipal Building, where Mayor Gregg Reep presided over an agenda filled with both routine and heated discussions. All six council members—Angela Marshall, Memory Burks-Frazer, Dorothy Henderson, Joel Tolefree, Emily Moseley, and Latanza Atkins—were in attendance.
The council approved both the September minutes and the City Clerk’s Report before recognizing Mike Miller of the Sanitation Department. Miller, who was honored as Warren’s City Employee of the Quarter, has been with the city for three years, receiving accolades for his service to the community. He was presented a gift card on behalf of the City.
Street Closures and Christmas Lights Contracts
A unanimous 6-0 vote approved street closures for the Bradley County Chamber of Commerce’s Fall Festival scheduled for October 26 from 4 to 8 p.m. The Council also renewed its contract with Jolly Lights for the third year to handle the installation and storage of the downtown Christmas lights, at a cost of just over $5,700.
New Appointments
Boyd Brown was appointed to the Board of Adjustment of Appeals with council approval.
Solar Farm Discussions
Additionally, preliminary discussions were held regarding the placement of a new solar farm, which will power city facilities. The Warren School District is exploring a potential purchase of land within the Industrial Park to house its own portion of the solar project, with the City utilizing the remainder. No final decisions were reached during the meeting.
Dispatch Contract and Recycling Updates
The council voted 6-0 to amend the city’s dispatch contract with Bradley County, increasing the amount the county pays for dispatch services from $72,000 to $100,000. Mayor Reep also provided an update on a $12,700 recycling grant from Southeast Regional Solid Waste, which will be used to establish a new recycling deposit point near the Westside Pool, similar to the one beside the Emergency Services Center.
Proposed Garbage Fee Increase
A lengthy discussion ensued over a proposed ordinance to raise the residential garbage fee by $2 while reducing pickups to once a week. Several local citizens spoke out against the proposal during the public comments section held earlier in the meeting, voicing concerns about the reduced service and increased cost. The administration, however, believes the change will save the City “thousands” in fuel and maintenance costs. Mayor Reep cautioned that the proposal is necessary to address looming budget concerns for 2025, but no action was taken.
Condemned Properties and Street Dedication
The Council unanimously approved moving forward with condemnation proceedings on four properties: 1007 Phillips, 504 Rock Street, #7 Southern Court, and 1110 Penister Street. Additionally, the Council passed a resolution to dedicate Abernathy Street in memory of Alice J. Henderson.
Privacy Fencing Ordinance
In another unanimous vote, the council adopted rules governing front yard privacy fencing. The new rules prohibit any fence taller than 6 feet and ban opaque fencing. Existing fences will be grandfathered in under the new regulations.
Months-Long Land Purchase Debate Sparks Tensions
The most contentious part of the meeting involved a debate over a proposed purchase of nearly 112 acres of land northeast of town, near the Highway 189 Bypass. Discussions over the land purchase have been ongoing for months, as the original plan for the City to make the purchase—just over $1,000,000 via a loan through ADFA—was not feasible due to legal restrictions on the City borrowing money for a 25-year term without a bond issue.
Mayor Reep outlined an alternative plan in which the Bradley County Economic Development Commission (BCEDC) would borrow the money for the 25-year loan at a proposed interest rate of just 3 percent, and the City would lease the property on an annual contract, paying the same amount as BCEDC’s loan payment. This would give the City control of the land for future development.
Councilmember Joel Tolefree put forth a motion to move forward with the issue and schedule a special council meeting next week. The motion was seconded, but only Tolefree and Councilmember Emily Moseley voted in favor.
Following the vote, Mayor Reep expressed his deep frustration, stating he was “extremely disappointed.” In a strongly worded statement, he said, “I believe the Council has chucked the City’s economic development program.” Reep went on to say, “Apparently y’all want out of economic development.” He emphasized his concern, saying, “I don’t care anymore. I’m to the point that if you’re not going to do what’s needed to push the town forward, I’ve got a big problem…This is wrong.” He further accused the council of “punting on the City of Warren.”
Reep asked the council for alternative suggestions on how to handle economic development in the city. Councilmember Atkins responded, “We haven’t looked at a budget.” During the exchange, Reep warned, “If we don’t do some things to grow the economy in Warren, then you aren’t going to have to worry about the rest of it, quite frankly.”
Councilmember Burks-Frazer weighed in, stating, “It’s not like, to me, if I was a steward of money for my ward, and we’ve heard, we’ve got to do this(cut costs in the City budget) to save money, I wouldn’t personally spend the money. Maybe after we look at the budget.” Mayor Reep cautioned that the owner of the land may not be willing to wait much longer, and the potential deal could be lost.
Reep further expressed his disappointment, saying, “You’ve said where you stand. You’re not going to work for economic development in Warren.” Atkins pushed back, stating, “That is not what the council said.” Reep challenged the council to present another solution, asking, “Well then give me another solution,” in reference to economic development in Warren.
Atkins suggested that the council needs to meet and discuss the issue “logically and sensibly.” Reep, however, indicated that the council has already had ample discussions and information on the matter. Councilmember Henderson then called for the “order of the day,” effectively ending the debate, to which Reep responded, “So you want it shut down.”
With clear frustration, Reep concluded, “I’m disappointed in where this City is headed, and y’all answer for it.”
Future Meetings
The next Warren City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
Full Disclosure: “I, Rob Reep, the owner of this news site, am the son of Warren Mayor Gregg Reep. As always, while I am related to Mayor Reep, this article is based on factual reporting, and the entire, unedited video of the meeting is available for full transparency.” – Rob Reep
