Democratic nominee for 1st Selectman - Phyllis Webb -- New Hartford News

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Date Posted: Thu. Jul 5, 2007 12:17 pm
Author: Citizen
Subject: Democratic nominee for 1st Selectman - Phyllis Webb
In reply to: Citizen 's message, "NOTICE OF PRESS CONFERENCE JULY 3 2007 TOWN HALL 10:00 A.M." on Mon. Jul 2, 2007 11:47 am

By DAVID HUTTER
Register Citizen Staff

NEW HARTFORD - Describing herself as a "new source of energy and enthusiasm," Phyllis Webb announced her candidacy for the first selectman on the Democratic ticket at a news conference in front of town hall Tuesday morning.

Webb, in front of an audience of about 20 people, touted her experience working in town government, relationships with local merchants and donations to nonprofit organizations. Webb said she has been president of the New Hartford Community Connections since 2005, a position in which she has donated more than $19,000 toward nonprofit groups.

Speaking to reporters, Webb addressed her plans for the town. Her three most pressing concerns, Webb said, are to update the aging infrastructure in New Hartford, foster economic growth and strengthen a sense of civic pride among residents.

"New Hartford is currently losing millions of dollars annually in that residents leave town to shop for groceries (and other goods and services)," she said. "I want to stem this loss of revenue."

Webb is a member of the steering committee for Women of the World, an organization that operates under the auspices of the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce in Torrington. She served as president of the New Hartford Business Council from 2005 until earlier this year.

Phyllis Webb and her husband Dale Webb own a business that manufactures and ships ukuleles. A native of Wallingford, Phyllis Webb was the president of a women's clothing company in Glastonbury from 1987 to 1994. She and Dale moved to New Hartford in 1992 after being attracted to the town by what she described as its close-knit atmosphere and natural beauty.

"One day, we were driving through New Hartford and we fell in love with it all," Phyllis Webb said. "Dale turned my head and showed me a bald eagle flying overhead."
Dale Webb thinks his wife is a strong candidate for the town's top government seat.

"She is such an enthusiastic person in the first place and she has gained a lot of respect from town officials and merchants (because of her work in the community)," he said.

Phyllis and Dale Webb have three sons: Josh, 11; Benjamin, 9; and Samuel, 6. Each child attends the Hunter Montessori School in New Hartford. The children accompanied their mother and father at the news conference.

Josh is excited about his mother's nomination by the Democratic Town Committee for first selectman, describing it as "pretty cool."

The Democratic Town Committee is scheduled to hold a caucus July 23. The committee is comprised of 40-45 people.

David Hutter can be reached by e-mail at newhartford@registercitizen.com.

Local Businesswoman Joins First Selectman Race
By EDWARD J. JACOVINO | Courant Staff Writer
July 4, 2007

NEW HARTFORD - The co-founder of a ukulele factory is seeking the Democratic nomination for the first selectman post that William Baxter is leaving after three terms.

Phyllis Webb said Tuesday she expects the party to nominate her July 23 at the party caucus. Mary Lou Ringklib, the Democratic town chairwoman, endorsed Webb Tuesday.

Webb, a resident for 15 years with little experience in town politics, is the operations manager for Magic Fluke and Flea Market Music, a local ukulele manufacturing business she and her husband, Dale, have owned and operated since 1999.

Webb recently completed a two-year term as president of the New Hartford Business Council. In 2006 she served on the economic development committee. She was a school board member from 2000 to 2001.

"I'm in a listening mode," Webb said after her announcement outside of town hall. "I'm here to work with everybody and create a good team."

She has not selected a running mate and does not yet have a specific platform.

Democratic First Selectman Bill Baxter said he would have considered Webb as a running mate had he decided to run again. Baxter said he simply didn't want to campaign this year.

Webb's experience on the business council could prove valuable in a town in dire need of economic development, Baxter said. Only about 10 percent of the town's tax revenue comes from businesses.

In her first campaign move, Webb toured the old Waring Factory on Route 44, though the manufacturer abandoned the lot about a decade ago.

Developer Dan Briggs gave Webb and ranking members of the economic development committee and business council a tour of the 206,000-square-foot retail complex he plans to open by early September.

Briggs promises 310 feet of storefronts along the Route 44 side of the property. An additional 200 feet will be completed on the south side of the building at a later date. He also plans to have self-storage on site.

Briggs gained approval for the project just before the town put a hold on new businesses in the area because of its water woes. Some say the area's faulty and already overused treatment facility poses the town's primary problem.

Republican Selectman Earl MacInnes said sewage treatment will likely be the biggest issue of the upcoming campaign. He has not decided whether he will run.

The Republican town committee meets Thursday at 7 p.m. at town hall, where it will probably select a nominee, MacInnes said.

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