Warren’s longest serving Mayor, Gregg Reep, returns with a forward looking vision

A familiar face in the Warren mayor’s office will return to that position in January as Gregg Reep will take office.

Reep, now 68, first took office as mayor in January 1987. He became Warren’s longest-serving mayor when he was elected to five four-year terms. He served 18 years before resigning in 2005 to take a seat as the District 8 state representative. Bryan Martin was elected in a special election to complete Reep’s unfulfilled term and then served two complete terms before Denisa Pennington took over as mayor.

Reep was married to Beverly Holloway Reep for 37 ½ years before she died from complications related to COVID in April 2020. She taught for 39 years in Dumas, Hermitage and Warren. They have one son, Rob Reep, who is married to Jessi Reep, and they have two sons, Ellis and Ramsey.

Gregg has served as sales manager for Rob Reep’s online news source, Saline River Chronicle, since its beginning in January 2010. He will now step away from those duties while serving as Mayor.

“The job of the mayor is to manage the day-to-day operations of the basic city services. That includes Police Department, Fire Department, solid waste system, enforcement of codes, street improvements, recreational programs and facilities. It is also important for the mayor to be involved in economic development, promoting and recruiting business and industry. The city should work with anyone to grow our economy,” Reep said.

“I think the city has to take a different approach to recruiting business and industry,” he added. He said he would be supportive of seeking professional outside help.

Two major problems to be faced involve the deterioration of the Warren Cultural Center and the Bryant’s Building. The city and school district had combined resources on the Cultural Center but with the new Lumberjack Arena shaping up, the school district has indicated they don’t want to put any more money into the Cultural Center. The Bryant’s Building was donated to Bradley County Chamber of Commerce by the Bryant family and was later turned over to the city.

“I would like to see us keep the Cultural Center because it could be very useful and beneficial to the community,” Reep said, adding he would have to meet with school officials over that project. However, he said he felt the Bryant’s Building would have to be torn down “because it’s falling down.”

Another area where improvements will be needed is the Westside pool. “I think the community as a whole wants to see the Westside pool maintained,” Reep said.

Regarding city personnel, he said, “I don’t anticipate making any changes.”

Streets and drainage were high priorities identified by constituents during his mayoral campaign. He also wants to have quality police officers hired as there are several vacancies. Hiring of officers is done by the Warren Civil Service Commission. Reep would also like to work to modernize the Police Department and Fire Department.

“Another area we have to enforce more is cleaning up dilapidated lots and structures,” Reep said. He said he may look at changing procedures in how they are dealt with. “The enforcement of these property and mobile home codes, and zoning regulations, must be done better,” he said.

City Council members serve on several committees that make recommendations to the full council. “I’m going to use the committees the way I feel they were intended to be used,” Reep said.

Turning back to streets, he said, “I think it’s very important that all three wards get an equal amount of street funds to the degree possible.”

“I’m looking forward to going to work, working with the City Council and working with the current staff. I’m going to make communication with the council, employees and people a priority to make sure we’re on the same page,” he said.

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Full disclosure: Gregg Reep is the father of Rob Reep, owner of Saline River Chronicle.