Water Utilities Director Tapped for Bartlesville City Manager Position
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
Oct 9, 2026
Bartlesville's City Council has picked its next city manager, but voters could reshape the council that will oversee him just weeks later.
The council voted 4-1 Thursday to begin contract negotiations with longtime Water Utilities Director Terry Lauritsen, choosing him over Engineering Director Micah Siemers after nearly three hours of interviews and deliberations.
Bartlesville council voted 4-1 to begin city manager contract talks with Terry Lauritsen as candidates raise concerns about the timing before the Nov. 3 election.
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
The decision comes ahead of the Nov. 3 municipal election, when all five council seats are on the ballot and some candidates are questioning whether the current council should make a permanent appointment.
Council Divided Over Timing
Mayor Jim Curd moved to begin negotiations with Lauritsen, thanking city staff and fellow council members for participating in the selection process.
"We've still got work ahead of us," Curd said, praising the quality of the city's administrative staff and the candidates who interviewed for the job.
Ward 1 Councilor Tim Sherrick cast the lone dissenting vote, emphasizing that his opposition concerned the hiring process rather than Lauritsen's qualifications.
"I hold Terry in very high regard,” Sherrick said. “I've always appreciated my relationship with him, but I maintain my opinion that the process is incomplete because there was no posting to an outside candidate.”
Sherrick also argued that the council elected in November should make the decision.
"Not knowing what we might be looking at a month from now, whether it's me or not, I don't feel like it's my decision today," he said.
Councilor Aaron Kirkpatrick expressed optimism about the selection and thanked all five candidates who participated in the process.
"I'm excited for hopefully a new phase with Terry and entering into this next level," Kirkpatrick said. "The future is bright for Bartlesville."
Political Uncertainty Surrounds Transition
The timing of the appointment has become a point of contention in the upcoming municipal election.
Ward 4 candidate Joel Rabin has opposed installing a permanent city manager before the newly elected council takes office, including raising the prospect of removing an appointee selected by the outgoing council.
While no one has publicly promised to remove any such hiring, other candidates, including Josh Lock in Ward 3, Eddie Collins in Ward 5 and Amanda Veley in Ward 4, have also raised concerns about making the appointment before the election.
Other candidates have responded more favorably. Ward 1 challenger Michael Colaw has publicly praised the selection of Lauritsen on Facebook.
The disagreement raises questions about the stability of the city's top administrative position as Bartlesville prepares for a possible change in council leadership.
Sherrick has also pushed for further scrutiny of former City Manager Mike Bailey's departure. At the council's Oct. 5 meeting, a proposal to investigate the circumstances surrounding Bailey's exit failed on a 4-1 vote.
The proposal followed repeated warnings about potential legal concerns associated with investigating a former city employee, including advice from outside legal counsel.
A Familiar Face at City Hall
Lauritsen brings more than two decades of experience in Bartlesville city government.
He has lived in Bartlesville since 2000, where he raised his family. He became the city's director of engineering in 2005 before moving into the water utilities director position in 2013.
His selection would place a longtime city administrator at the helm during a period of leadership turnover and political uncertainty.
However, Thursday's vote does not make the appointment official.
City staff must first negotiate an employment agreement with Lauritsen, and the City Council must vote again to approve the contract.
The council's next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 2, just one day before the municipal election. If negotiations conclude sooner, the council could call another special meeting to finalize the agreement.
You made it to the end. Thank you for reading. We believe local news should be available to everyone, not hidden behind a paywall. Readers who support The Wiley Post help us keep it that way. Please consider joining them.