The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/05/08
Retiring Norcross Mayor Lillian Webb, a matriarch of Georgia Republican politics, closed out that part of her life Saturday. Sort of.
Though she vowed it was the end
last month when she lost re-election
to a 12th term as mayor, the
79-year-old with fiery red hair was
not so adamant at a party in her
honor Saturday.
Kimberly Smith/staff
|
| Outgoing
Norcross Mayor Lillian Webb
listens to old stories told
about her by a speaker as
family, friends, colleagues,
business and political
associates officially bid
her farewell from a lengthy political career in Gwinnett County at a reception Saturday. |
"I don't know," Webb, surrounded by dozens of friends and supporters, replied when asked if on Monday, when she is replaced by the new Mayor Bucky Johnson, that would be end of her political career.
"There's always tomorrow. If my family won't shoot me," Webb said as she moved from well-wisher to well-wisher in the former Norcross train station.
She saved the historic building from the bulldozers in 1974. Today, it's a trendy restaurant.
For the foreseeable future, there are 10 books to be read, boxes of papers and memorabilia to be catalogued and trips to be taken.
Except for three years, Webb has held elected office since 1970. She was the first woman and first Republican to serve on the Norcross City Council.
Long-time friend John Adams said the reaction to the news back then that she planned to run was, "Who in the world heard of a woman on the city council?"
And when Webb declared she was running for mayor, Adams added, "I said 'Holy smokes.' Sure enough, she became mayor."
Again, she was the first Republican woman to hold that office.
She also was the first female GOP member to serve as chair of the Gwinnett County Commission.
"I never heard of a woman on the county commission, and no one else had," Adams said of that memorable election.
Webb was chairwoman eight years, losing the job in 1992 to developer Wayne Hill following news accounts that she took a lavish, taxpayer-funded trip to New York to lobby bond-rating services there.
Three years later, Webb again was elected mayor of Norcross. She was re-elected five more times.
"We've come a long way together," Webb said to the standing-room-only crowd. "This is the best way I know to start the year 2008. I love each and every one of you."