Jenks mayor’s eligibility for office probed after meeting absences

By John Dobberstein, Editor

JENKS — A group of citizens has asked the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office to investigate whether Jenks Mayor Cory Box is disqualified to serve on the City Council due to the two-term elected official missing too many council meetings in recent months.

Jenks resident Shane Randolph said he and other citizens have written letters asking Gentner Drummond’s office to review whether Box, elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021, has violated state law due to recent absences.

Randolph says city records show Box missed 5 of 9 meetings from May 21 through Sept. 16. Oklahoma law says a municipal official who is absent from more than half of council meetings within a 4-month period “shall cease to hold office.” The statute doesn’t list any exceptions for excused absences.

The law reads in its entirety: “Whenever a member of the municipal governing body is absent from more than one-half of all meetings of the governing body, regular and special, held within any period of four (4) consecutive months, he shall thereupon cease to hold office.”

But City Attorney Teresa Nowlin says the question about Box’s eligibility has been answered through her research and “informal consultation” with the Attorney General’s office and the Oklahoma Municipal League.

Nowlin says the word “month” in state law regarding absences and vacancies refers to a calendar month as it pertains to meanings of words and construction of statutes. “This means that Mayor Box has not missed more than 50% of the meetings in any consecutive four-month period and his office has not been vacated,” Nowlin told the Sentinel.

Nowlin said the city first learned about questions concerning Box’s eligibility due to an email from a citizen on Sept. 30 before the City Council meeting. The citizen’s method of calculating the term “any period of four (4) consecutive months” in the statute at issue, “was different than the city’s understanding of how that term should be interpreted,” Nowlin said.

“The city considers Cory to be eligible to hold office and this matter is closed.”

Reached Thursday, Box referred questions about his eligibility to city officials.

Leslie Berger, a spokesperson for Attorney General Gentner Drummond, said the office consulted with the city of Jenks and discussed “applicable statute” with city officials. “Jenks is subject to Title 11 of the State Statute as it is a statutory, non-charter municipality. The City of Jenks will decide how to move forward according to state statute,” Berger said.

Nowlin said the city hadn’t sent a formal question to the Attorney General’s office and “city officials actually cannot submit formal requests for opinions” to that office. 

During last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Jenks resident Justin Little recounted the absences and reiterated concerns some citizens have about the absences and Box continuing to serve on the City Council. “The statute has been triggered,” he told Council members.

Jenks Vice Mayor John Brown acknowledged questions came up about the absences, which had been scheduled in advance, and there were some “interpretation questions” about the statute. Brown said City Council members, “consulted with other representatives of the state” and were advised to seek guidance from the state about the matter.

Brown said residents would be notified when the city receives direction from the state. Box’s eligibility was not listed as an agenda item for Tuesday’s meeting so no action could be taken.

According to Randolph, at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Box was not present at roll call and arrived late, remarked “I’m not here,” but proceeded to sit with the City Council and voted on two items on the agenda. Box voted with other councilors to go into an executive session that lasted about an hour.

“Equally troubling, no city official intervened — not the city attorney, not the city manager, and not fellow council members,” Randolph said in a social media post Wednesday. “Their silence allowed a legally disqualified official to continue exerting authority.

“Leadership in Jenks must reflect both transparency and accountability. When the law is clear, ignoring it erodes trust and undermines democracy. The people of Jenks deserve leaders who respect the rules they swore to uphold.”

According to the agenda, the executive session was about the purchase of property at Aquarium Drive and Riverfront Drive, where a food hall and standalone restaurant have been proposed on 1.3 acres. No action was taken after the City Council re-convened, with Box not being visibly present with them.

Nowlin clarified that Box did not attend the closed session Tuesday but left out a side door prior to it taking place.