Tulsa City Council voted in new leadership for the 2025–26 council year, replacing outgoing Chair Phil Lakin Jr. and Vice-Chair Karen Gilbert.
The council unanimously elected District 5 Councilor Karen Gilbert as the new chair at the Dec. 3 meeting. Gilbert, who first joined the council in 2011, returns to the leadership role after previously serving as vice-chair.
District 6 Councilor Christian Bengel was selected as vice-chair for the upcoming council year. Bengel assumed office in 2022.
Lakin, who represents District 8, was later appointed to the River Parks Authority, replacing Stephen Fater. His term on that board runs through April 2028.
This was informed by Micah Moseley’s Documenter notes from the Tulsa City Council meeting Dec. 3. If you’re interested in becoming a Documenter, visit us at documenters.org.
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