Hubbard eyes mayor’s seat, Phillips will not seek position
After eight years serving as a Greenport Village trustee, deputy mayor George Hubbard Jr. is vying for the mayor’s seat in 2015.
Mr. Hubbard said Friday he was “looking forward” to hopefully stepping in the role currently held by David Nyce, who said he won’t run again when his second term expires in the spring. Mr. Hubbard’s second term will also expire at that time.
Although Mr. Hubbard said he never thought of himself as a politician, his family inspired him to run for trustee and now for mayor, a position once held by his father, George Hubbard, who died in 2008. Since joining the board, Mr. Hubbard has carried on his father’s passion by serving as the Village Board’s liaison to the tree committee that oversees planting and replacement of diseased or dead trees.
“When I was a kid and I’d see my father up there I thought I’d never do that,” Mr. Hubbard said. “And when I ran for trustee I thought it would only be the one term. But, when you see things get done it is a good feeling. I enjoyed my time as trustee and now I am ready for the next step.”
If elected, Mr. Hubbard said a top priority will be seeing the second phase of the controversial electric plant upgrades go smoothly.
“We need to get that through,” Mr. Hubbard said. “We need the project clarified to the public and to get it done at the least expensive cost possible.”
Trustee Mary Bess Phillips, who has been rumored to run for the seat, voiced her support for Mr. Hubbard’s candidacy, adding that she will not be running for mayor.
“I think it is just fantastic he has stepped up to run for this position,” she said Friday. “He is a great team player and a great leader.”
Mr. Hubbard is the first to announce an official candidacy for the mayor’s seat. Local businessman Marc LaMaina, who owns Lucharitos on Main Street, expressed interest in running for mayor in June but then decided against it.
Trustee David Murray’s seat is also up for grabs in the March 18 election.
So far, one Greenport resident has announced a run for trustee. Doug Roberts of Sixth Street said he hopes to improve communication between village government and the public if he is elected.
Trustee David Murray could not be immediately reached for comment and has yet to publicly state whether he will run for a second four-year term.
