Changing of the Guard
Jan Dockery took the oath of office as the new Mayor of La Grange on Monday night, May 24. Former Mayor Janet Moerbe, who did not seek re-election this year, administered the oath. Moerbe had been part of City government for 33 years, starting out on the Council and having served as mayor since 2001.
“Many changes have taken place in our City, and I am proud to have been a part of those positive changes,” Moerbe said at the meeting. “I have worked with many city council members over those years, and they have always worked for what’s best for the City.”
Moerbe recalled efforts to improve utility maintenance, expanding the public library, launching the Main Street program, establishing the La Grange Economic Development Corporation, starting a hotel occupancy tax to finance tourism efforts, converting the former Randolph School into a recreation center, improving sidewalks, restoring Casino Hall, expanding parks and securing state and federal dollars to relieve taxpayers from the cost of these improvements.
“We have faced and overcome many challenges in the past: a major fire on our Square, hurricanes, floods, freezes and now COVID,” Moerbe said. “None of this would be possible without the dedicated work of our City administrators and City staff. Each department has pulled good times and through disaster.”
Moerbe thanked everyone in the City for allowing her to serve as Mayor. After her speech, an overflow crowd gave her a standing ovation. In her last act as Mayor, Moerbe administered the oath of office to the recently-elected and re-elected City Council members: Katie Gross for Ward 1 (replacing Ken Taylor, who did not seek re-election this year), John “Honza” Cernosek for Ward 2, Bonnie Busch for Ward 3 and Pat Janca for Ward 4. Moerbe also administered the oath to Dockery, her successor.
After the oaths, Taylor left the meeting. Moerbe stayed and joined the audience.
The new Council then reelected Cernosek as the Mayor Pro Tem. They also approved a resolution removing Moerbe and adding Dockery to the signature cards for City bank accounts.
Later in the meeting, Janca announced that he would step down from the Council effective June 14. Janca ran unopposed in the May election. He will serve at one more City Council meeting before he departs.
“My wife Mary and I have purchased a home outside the City limits, and I can’t be a councilman if I live outside the City,” Janca said. “Its been a pleasure. I have learned a lot. It’s been a ride. There have been some bumps in the road, but we have seemed to get through them. I think this Council will do the same. I’ve enjoyed it. I have one more meeting to go. I will miss it.”
Dockery was previously on the Council and vacated her Ward 3 seat when she took over as Mayor. That leaves the City with two empty spots on the City Council. The City Council will appoint two people to fill those seats and serve until the next election. The City has already solicited applications for anyone interested in the Ward 3 seat. Council has not yet selected anyone.
City Manager Shawn Raborn said the City would follow the same process for filling Janca’s Ward 4 seat.