Layton elects first-ever woman mayor

LAYTON City has elected its first-ever woman mayor in Joy Petro. She took office in January of 2020, replacing Scott Freitag.

In fact, Petro’s opponent in the final election was another woman, Joyce Brown, another City Councilwoman.

                  Mayor Joy Petro, far right; Joyce Brown, fourth from the right.

However, technically Petro is not the first-ever woman to serve as a Layton mayor.

Oma E. Wilcox served two terms on the City Council between 1962-69. She also served as acting mayor for several months in 1967, when Mayor James E. Biggs resigned and appointed her to fill the remainder of his term.

(Richard S. Stevenson was later appointed by the City Council in 1968 as mayor to fill Bigg’s remaining term.)

Note that in more modern times, Layton and many U.S. cities have a designated “Mayor Pro-Tem” office, designed for a fill-in as the mayor from among City Council members.

Female leaders have been a rarity in Layton City over the decades, like in most other municipalities.

                            Oma Wilcox, third from left, as Layton Council member.

Councilwoman Oma E. Wilcox (first elected in 1962) and Councilwoman Ann Harris (first elected in 1981) were the first two women who ever served on Layton City Councils, or even town councils (dating back to 1920).

Layton’s other seven women who have served on the council (and when they were first elected) include:

1990: Lyndia Graham

1992: Ethel Adams

1992: Debra Ledkins

2006: Joyce Brown

2007: Kathy Hyde Smith

2013: Joy Petro
2020: Dawn Fitzpatrick

               Lyndia Graham speaks at the dedication of the Layton City Municipal Center.