Lee E. Cooper, Jr. was appointed to the empty council seat in Ward 7 in the most recent update to Oklahoma City’s council roster, the city declared. Cooper will take the oath of office at a future City Council meeting. The position was just created by a resignation on November 12. He will hold this position until April 29, 2025, at which point he will be replaced by the winner of the upcoming regular election. According to the City of Oklahoma City, the election to fill the seat of Ward 7 is slated for February 11, 2025, with a possible runoff on April 1. The candidate filing period is set from December 2 to December 4.
Cooper, who served on the Oklahoma City Planning Commission, Urban Renewal Authority, and Redevelopment Authority before being chosen by Mayor David Holt, was a member of the City Council in 2018. In addition, the former councilman co-chaired a proposal to create a city monument that would honor the sit-in movement and is anticipated to be unveiled in 2025. “Ward 7 needs someone who can immediately step into the role and make an impact, and thanks to his previous experiences, Councilman Cooper clearly meets that need,” Mayor Holt wrote on the City of Oklahoma City’s official website, indicating that Cooper’s appointment was a calculated strategic move.
In addition to his political involvement, Cooper has a lengthy history of community service dating back to 1987, when he became pastor of Prospect Missionary Baptist Church. His credentials and leadership in the community were further enhanced in 2005 when he graduated with a doctorate in human letters from the University of Virginia at Lynchburg. According to the City of Oklahoma City, Councilman Cooper’s impact is seen on a number of boards and committees. He was previously president of the Progressive Oklahoma Baptist State Convention and a board member on the One Church One Child Advisory Board.
As the first Black member of the Capital Baptist Association Committee and a member of the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Cooper has distinguished himself throughout his career in both the religious community and civic involvement. His service on the boards of the Progressive National Baptist Convention’s Education and Publication Board and KIPP Reach College Preparatory School makes his engagement in education noteworthy as well. “And since there is no election, it was also important that the person we appoint be held in the highest regard, and that certainly describes Councilman Cooper,” said Mayor Holt, demonstrating Cooper’s high regard as a person who makes his community work and engagement worthwhile, according to the City of Oklahoma City.
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