New St. George Mayor, Returning City Councilwomen Sworn in During Ceremony

A new era has begun for the City of St. George today as Jimmie Hughes was officially sworn in as the city’s 34th mayor during a transition ceremony today at the new City Hall in the City Council Chambers. Succeeding Michele Randall—the city’s first female mayor—Hughes takes the helm after a long tenure on the City Council and a successful campaign this past November. The ceremony will also include the swearing-in of re-elected council members Michelle Tanner and Natalie Larsen, marking the formal start of their new four-year terms.

During Hughes’ brief speech following the swearing-in, he talked about the importance of getting to work in his new administration. 

“We made a lot of promises. We have a quickly growing city, we know that. There are a lot of things in front of us.”

When it comes to priority, Hughes says it’s essential to get the council complete first.

“Top of the priority list is to get somebody to fill my (council) seat. That’s the balance of power. We have four council members right now. A fifth makes it so we don’t have ties (on voting), so that’s important. From there, it’s just going down the list of things we need to do to make sure we have a vibrant & successful city.”

Under Utah law, the city will today open a two-week application window for eligible residents interested in serving. Following the application period, the remaining council members will conduct public interviews and vote to appoint a successor to fill the remainder of the term.