At her official swearing-in ceremony on January 3, Joette Langianese didn’t ask for a key to the city—she wanted a crown.
Donning a plastic tiara with a matching wand and with the official key-card to the City Hall chambers in hand, Moab’s next mayor said she’s looking forward to working with city staff and, even more so, looking forward to working with the community.
“I’m very honored to be elected to this position as mayor,” Langianese said. “A year ago, I had no intention to be standing up here right now. But I’m glad that I am. I feel like I can bring a lot to this position, and look forward to sharing my experiences in my work in county government with the city.”
The ceremony was a merry event with an audience of about 40 people. In attendance were members of the community, city staff, and Langianese’s 101-year-old father, Matt Langianese.
Luke Wojciechowski and Jason Taylor were sworn in as city council members. They will be joining current council members Rani Derasary, Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, and Kalen Jones.
“I’m really excited to work with the staff and community that I’ve come to know a lot better throughout this election process,” Wojciechowski said. “I know that we have some pretty big things at our doorstep … I feel extremely humbled and honored to be in this position, and I’m going to do what I can to represent the members of our community.”
Taylor echoed the sentiments of Langianese and Wojciechowski: he’s excited to represent Moab and work with the city staff, he said.
““I think that in Moab, there’s a lot of people putting in a lot of really hard work,” said Taylor. “I’m excited to be a part of that team, and to carry on and to serve the people of this town.”
Langianese, Wojciechowski and Taylor each swore to “support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Utah, and the municipal ordinances of the City of Moab, and to discharge the duties of [their] office with fidelity.”
Each of their first terms will last four years.
