WARREN, Ark. — The Warren City Council addressed several key issues Monday evening, including a revised food truck ordinance and mowing contract bids, during their regular meeting at the Warren Municipal Building.
Mayor Gregg Reep presided over the meeting with council members Chanel Hooper, Dorothy Henderson, Joel Tolefree, Emily Moseley and Latanza Atkins in attendance. Memory Burks Frazer was absent due to illness.
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Mowing Contract Sparks Debate
The council voted 3-2 to accept the low bid of $395 per mowing from H&A Lawn Service for spring and summer maintenance of the city park and other municipal properties. Mayor Reep cast the deciding vote in favor to meet quorum requirements.
The decision sparked discussion about the sanitation department’s capacity to handle mowing duties in-house once the city’s garbage collection is privatized. Council member Atkins questioned why the contract was necessary if the sanitation department could perform the work.
Mayor Reep recommended accepting the low bid on an as-needed basis, saying the city needed to be prepared by having the mowing job lined up in case it was needed. He said he hoped to handle some of the mowing in-house in the future.
Discussion also touched on how the sanitation department has gone from 10 employees to four in recent years and why those positions have not been replaced. Mayor Reep indicated that the department has had a number of people retire and others leave voluntarily for various reasons. He stated he thought it was best to leave the positions unfilled because if the city is about to enter into a contract with a private company for waste collection, it’s best to save the money from those vacant positions.
Council member Dorothy Henderson stated that the committee understood the sanitation department would pick up the slack. Atkins and Hooper voted against accepting the bid.
Food Truck Ordinance Overhauled
In a unanimous 5-0 vote, the council approved Ordinance 975, which replaces the original food truck ordinance passed in April 2025. The original ordinance had not been enforced by the mayor’s office while the council considered amendments.
Under the new rules, mobile food vendors must have a valid health permit, privilege license from Warren or another Arkansas municipality, property owner permission, and proof of a sales tax permit. Vendors can operate 24 hours a day if they choose.
The annual cost is $30 for a privilege license plus the standard $55 monthly garbage collection fee that all Warren businesses pay. Churches and nonprofits are exempt but must notify the city ahead of vending. Non-compliant vendors face fines of $100 per day.
Water System Merger Approved
The council unanimously approved Resolution A-710, merging the Corinth Valley water system with the Warren water system. A $150,000 grant was also accepted that will pay off all debts for the Corinth Valley system.
Other Business
State representative candidate Kyle Day, a history professor at the University of Arkansas at Monticello running in the Republican primary, briefly addressed the council to learn more about Warren’s needs.
Police Chief Shaun Hildreth reported one vehicle in the body shop and another undergoing repairs, while two others have been decommissioned. The department is still accepting applications for patrolman and working to install all Flock cameras.
Fire Chief Chuck Moore reported 15 calls for the month, including one structure fire at the housing authority. The department conducted one training session on a controlled burn on Railroad Avenue.
The council also voted 5-0 to obtain quotes for heating, air conditioning and chairs for the old street shop, which the city hopes to make available for rent in the future.
In appointments, the council reappointed Jimmy Sledge to another five-year term on the housing authority board and appointed Clint Horn to fill a vacancy on the Warren Water and Sewer Commission. The council also approved Ordinance 976, allowing the city and water system to do business with Horn’s company, Log and Sticks, to comply with state law.
Council member Hooper praised the street department for their work during a recent ice and sleet storm and briefly discussed plans for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in 2027.
The municipal building will be closed Monday, February 16, for Presidents’ Day. The next council meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 9.
The full city council meeting video will be uploaded here later this week.
