WARR ACRES, Okla. — In their regular meeting at the end of May the Warr Acres City Council received a special recognition and took up an important issue that affects life in the the city.
In short:
- Warr Acres was recognized as a Purple Heart City.
- Councilmembers discussed switching to a big blue trash service but decided to continue planning and not take action in that particular meeting.
Warr Acres is a Purple Heart City
The Purple Heart is an award given by the United States military to members of the armed forces who have been wounded or killed in combat. As a Purple Heart City, Warr Acres pays tribute to the men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal.
Councilwoman Lynda Steele, who advocated for Warr Acres to be recognized as a Purple Heart City, said that “acknowledging us as a Purple Heart city helps to acknowledge our 1%, which is 128 Warr Acres Citizens who are veterans… It makes sense to be a part of this community.”
There are over 600 cities in Oklahoma that have been recognized as Purple Heart cities, including Bethany, which was recognized earlier this year.
Changing trash service discussion
The Warr Acres city council sought to discuss a longstanding issue for the city: the trash service.
Mayor Roger Godwin set aside some time for the council to discuss switching to a Big-Blue-style trash service, similar to the service Oklahoma City has for its residents. The Mayor hopes to not only improve the City’s finances but also alleviate the issues with the current service residents often call City Hall about.
“We have more phone calls complaining about trash than anything else that exists in the City… It is really a waste of city resources to continue the way that we are doing it,” Mayor Godwin said.
In most cases currently, Warr Acres residents provide their own trash cans and have their trash picked up twice a week.
Up to four 40-gallon cans, eight additional 30-gallon bags, and smaller miscellaneous items can be picked up with the current service.
Mayor Godwin proposed that Warr Acres provide at least one 96-gallon Big Blue trash can to each resident and reduce pick-ups to once a week, with a bulk pickup day every six months or so.
Residents would have the option to have more cans for an increased fee.
Warr Acres Fire Department Chief Stephen Coy made note of the hazards that an assortment of trash cans can pose for emergency responders and residents in the City.
“I can’t tell you how many times we’ve had to dodge trash cans blowing across the road…,” said Coy. “When I pick up trash cans before and they have dumped trash, it’s not always a tuna can. Its tampons, its insulin syringes, its things we do not want blown across the road. Big Blues rarely tip over.”
Council members and residents did have some concerns with the plan, and others wanted to know if any sort of curbside recycling service could be added in Warr Acres.
Councilwoman Judy Myers from Ward 1 said “I’m all for Big Blues. However, I think we need a more in-depth study, more information broken down…. This was great talking about it, but I need to see a well-thought-out plan.”
Ward 4 councilman Randy Prince argued that many of the people in his neighborhood would be against the Big Blues.
“I know a lot of people in my neighborhood would be against it,” said Prince. “The people really like the trash service the way it is.”
Residents may also have issues with the decrease in total trash the City will remove for the same price, and the fact that the service may only run half as many times as the current system does.
Councilwoman Myers asked about working with Fertile Ground Cooperative to provide a recycling service, which may be included in future discussions.
The council did not take any action on changing the trash service, but the discussion is a look into what council members and staff have planned for the future trash service in Warr Acres.
The next Warr Acres city council meeting is scheduled for June 18, 2024, at 6:00 PM.
Damian Powell is our government reporter for the smaller municipalities in the OKC metro such as Moore, Norman, Bethany, and Warr Acres. Damian is studying Political Science at the University of Oklahoma.