By John Dobberstein, Editor
The candidate filing deadline has come and gone, and four incumbent Broken Arrow City Council members will likely advance unopposed in April’s municipal elections.
Debra Wimpee (Ward 1), Lisa Ford (Ward 2) David Pickel (Ward 3) and Justin Green (Ward 4) all filed to serve another term and will be sworn in later this spring.
Pickel was appointed to the City Council after Christi Gillespie was elected to a state Senate seat last fall, and he will be serving his first full term. Green was appointed in 2003 to fill the vacancy created with the resignation of Joe Franco.
Wimpee and Ford will serve through 2029 and Green and Pickel’s terms expire in 2027.
Barring any unexpected exits, the City Council will remain intact as Broken Arrow faces a number of challenges, including managing continued growth on the south and east sides, and working with city staff to find ways to adequately fund public safety.
The city also faces the imminent release of a new set of zoning ordinances, and the city’s next bond election is in 2026.
Wimpee has said this will be her final term on the council. In a Facebook post she noted the City Council doesn’t have term limits, “but I have goals for my work with Soldier’s Wish that will take precedence” after her term ends in 2029z
“We have such amazing things on the horizon for our city, and if we continue to be intentional with our efforts toward growth and keep our eye on the growing infrastructure needs, there’s no doubt we will be one of the top cities to live, work and play in the United States, not just Oklahoma.”
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