WARREN, Ark. – The Warren City Council approved a five-year exclusive franchise agreement with GFL Environmental for residential and commercial garbage collection during a special called meeting Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Warren Council Chambers inside the Warren Municipal Building.
Under the agreement, residents will begin seeing garbage pickup one day per week by GFL Environmental starting the week of April 6, 2026. The five-year franchise will run from April 6, 2026, through April 30, 2031, and applies to both residential and commercial garbage service within the city limits.
Council members present were Emily Moseley, Dorothy Henderson, Memory Burks-Frazer, Latanza Atkins, Chanel Hooper, and Joel Tolefree. Warren Mayor Gregg Reep presided over the meeting.
Following the call to order, roll call, and dispensing with the reading of the February 9 minutes, the council took up Ordinance 977 authorizing the franchise agreement. Sanitation Committee Chair Latanza Atkins welcomed GFL representatives Kevin Gardner, Brian Huffman, General Manager, and Steve Tollette, Operations Manager of South Arkansas Hauling of GFL.
Atkins said the process of evaluating garbage services and bids has been underway for many months and included significant preparation work, such as the addition of large trash collection containers across the city. GFL was selected following a bidding process.
City officials clarified during the meeting that what the city charges residents for sanitation services will remain as is.
The ordinance was approved unanimously. Atkins made the motion to approve Ordinance 977 on its first reading, with Tolefree seconding. The measure passed 6-0. The mayor then read the ordinance before it was advanced to a second and third reading. Atkins later motioned to adopt the ordinance, seconded by Moseley, with the final vote again 6-0 in favor.
In an interview with Saline River News following the meeting, Mayor Reep explained the reasoning behind the transition.
“The rising expense of solid waste collection and disposal is why we are making this change. The cost of equipment and landfilling cost are the big contributors to the increasing cost,” Reep said.
“By doing this, the city will not have to be purchasing or leasing hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment regularly. And we will reduce our labor cost,” he added. “I want to stress we are not terminating any of our current employees, but a number are retiring or taking other jobs, so we will not have as many of the payroll.”
Reep said Warren is one of the last cities to transition to a private contractor for garbage collection but called it “the most feasible way to do it.”
He also emphasized that the City of Warren will continue to operate a sanitation department and oversee the franchise agreement to ensure services are performed properly and in a timely manner. The city will continue promoting recycling efforts and will maintain pickup of large junk items and yard waste through city-run programs.
“There will be a learning curve and the city will be there to help residents as the transition to this new system is made starting in April,” Reep said.
Routes and specific pickup days will be published soon. Saline River News will publish route information once it is finalized. City officials said more detailed information will be released in the coming weeks to help residents prepare for the transition to once-a-week pickup beginning the week of April 6.
During discussion at the meeting, council members briefly addressed concerns about seniors and disabled residents who may need assistance placing containers at the designated pickup location. Residents needing weekly assistance are encouraged to contact the City of Warren Sanitation Department at 870-226-5860.
“We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience. We will be doing our best to get all the information out to residents,” Reep said.
