Broken Arrow Mayor Debra Wimpee received the 2026 Mayor of the Year Award from the Mayors Council of Oklahoma (MCO) for communities with populations over 5,000.

The award was presented Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Oklahoma Municipal League (OML) Annual Conference, according to a city of Broken Arrow press release.

"Mayor Wimpee has shown outstanding leadership at both the state and national level, and we are pleased to recognize her with this award," OML Executive Director Mike Fina said in a statement included in the city's announcement.

MCO President Joyce Calvert called Wimpee "a dedicated public servant" who does much for her municipality. Calvert said she was grateful for Wimpee's leadership and support for her community.

The award, established in 1992, recognizes mayors who have made significant contributions to their communities and profession. Nominees must be MCO members serving in elected office with at least three years of service. Their municipality must also belong to OML.

Wimpee won election to the Broken Arrow City Council representing Ward 1 in 2017 and was elected mayor in 2021. She is serving her second term as mayor and her third term as a councilor, the city said.

The honor carries historical weight. Wimpee is the second female mayor in Broken Arrow's history, a milestone the city noted comes 90 years after the first woman held the office.

Wimpee's record extends beyond City Hall. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Military History Hall of Fame in 2025 and received the Military Order of the Purple Heart's Most Patriotic Mayor Award. In 2023, she received The Journal Record's Beacon Award for Philanthropy and Volunteerism. She is also an inductee of the Broken Arrow High School Great Graduate program, which honors exceptional alumni.

KTUL also reported on the award, noting Wimpee's leadership across public, private and nonprofit sectors and her commitment to community service, economic development and veteran advocacy.

Outside her mayoral duties, Wimpee serves as director of alliance engagement for the Christian Employers Alliance, according to the city's release.