Three new members will join the City Council on Monday when a new class of councilors is sworn in.
City Auditor Cathy Carter, who did not draw an opponent in this year’s municipal elections, will be sworn in for a sixth term.
City councilors and the auditor serve two-year terms.
The ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. in the Williams Theatre of the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The event is open to the public.
The new city councilors are Laura Bellis, who will represent District 4; Grant Miller, District 5; and Christian Bengel, District 7.
Bellis was victorious in the City Council general election in August, earning 50.63% of the vote to edge out five other candidates vying to succeed Councilor Kara Joy McKee. McKee chose not to seek reelection after serving two terms.
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Miller and Bengel won their seats in the City Council’s Nov. 8 runoff elections after no candidates in their races earned more than 50% of the vote in the general election.
After winning 45.3% percent of the vote in the general election, Bengel earned 51% of the vote in the runoff election to defeat longtime Councilor Connie Dodson.
Miller’s route to City Hall was a bit longer. After Miller earned 28 more votes than Arthrell in the runoff election, Arthrell contested the results, citing voting irregularities. But Tulsa County District Judge Doug Drummond denied Arthrell’s petition last week, clearing the way for Miller to take office Monday.
Arthrell had served one term on the City Council. Dodson was first elected in 2014.
The other city councilors to be sworn in Monday are Vanessa Hall-Harper (District 1), Jeannie Cue (District 2), Crista Patrick (District 3), Lori Decter Wright (District 7), Phil Lakin (District 8) and Jayme Fowler (District 9).
Cue and Lakin are the longest-serving members of the City Council. Each was first elected in 2011.
In 1989, voters approved a charter amendment changing the city’s form of government from a city commission to a strong mayor/city council structure. The change took effect the following year.
The mayor of Tulsa serves a four-year term. Mayor G.T. Bynum was elected to a second term in 2020. He has said he will serve just two terms.
kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.com