Hometown engineer Chad Gilbert will serve as the next Mayor of Cookeville after securing the most votes in the City Council race. A lot went into it, a lot of work, a lot of good candidates and just to be mayor of your hometown, there’s not much better you can think about,” Gilbert said. “Oh, there’s there’s several parts to it. “There’s there’s plenty to look back on for good examples and I’m excited to be the next in line.” Gilbert said his professional background as an engineer aligns with the current needs of the city regarding growth and infrastructure.