As Tulsa Public Schools navigates the aftermath of a critical audit by State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd, Kyra Carby won the runoff election for the Board of Education’s District 3 seat to succeed Jennettie Marshall.
Carby recieved 561 votes (66.6 percent), beating out Dorie Simmons, who recieved 281 votes (33.4 percent). The two friends had advanced to a runoff from a four-candidate primary.
Carby joins the board after Byrd’s audit found “a systemic lack of internal controls and administration,” outlined former TPS administrator Devin Fletcher’s embezzlement, triggered the resignation of longtime employee Chris Hudgins, and led to calls for an attorney general’s investigation. Carby is scheduled to be sworn in at the next board meeting April 7.
Byrd, who is running for lieutenant governor, filled an east Tulsa church Feb. 27, when she presented the audit’s findings. Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who is running for governor, has not commented on whether his office is investigating anyone implicated in the audit. Fletcher, who was convicted in federal court before the audit’s release, is the only TPS employee mentioned in the audit to face criminal charges.
Tulsa Tech board, Glenpool, Jenks and Skiatook city councils elect members
In the Tulsa Tech District 2 race, incumbent Rick Kibbe received 472 votes (60.3 percent) and held his seat over challenger Todd Blackburn, who received 311 votes (39.7 percent).
In Jenks, Mayor Cory Box won reelection over challenger Catherine Lenhart to represent Ward 6 of the city council. (Jenks’ mayor is elected internally by the seven councilors.) Box received 1,313 votes (54.7 percent), while Lenhart received 1,086 votes (45.3 percent).
Above the famous Glenn Pool, Glenpool Ward 2 Councilor Chris Brobst received 251 votes (63.7 percent), defeating challenger Kim Hanson-Mercier who earned 143 votes (36.3 percent).
A few miles east of the shores of Skiatook Lake, its eponymous city had two city council elections Tuesday. Mayor Robin Edens, a longtime choir teacher at Skiatook High School, lost reelection in Ward 2 to Patrick Young, a former mayor. (Skiatook’s mayor is also elected internally by city councilors.) Young received 156 votes (86.7 percent) to Edens 24 votes (13.3 percent).
Incumbent Skiatook Ward 1 Councilor Herb Forbes, also a former mayor, did not run for reelection. Matthew Bragg received 156 votes (84.8 percent) over Debbie Cook’s 28 votes (15.2 percent) and will succeed Forbes on the council. Bragg is the building manager at the Cornerstone Building Center in Skiatook, according to his LinkedIn.
