PEABODY — Ryan Melville will not seek another term as an at-Large city councilor.
Melville, 39, made the announcement at Thursday’s City Council meeting. He told The Salem News this week that with his job as the deputy executive director of the state’s Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission becoming more demanding, he has decided to end his time on the Council when he finishes his current term.
“I just never wanted to be in a position where I was not able to put 110% into being a councilor at-large,” Melville said. “It’s not always on the surface of how demanding it can be. It’s a lot of work, and it’s great. I really enjoyed it… but I decided it would be best if I didn’t run for reelection.”
He is announcing the decision now so potential candidates have enough time to take out nomination papers and start their campaign, he said.
Melville has served as an at-large councilor for the last eight years and was the Council president in 2022. He is also a veteran of the Afghanistan War.
“You ran a great Council that year, your advocacy for veterans and your work on the Welch School bar none,” Councilor at-Large Jon Turco said at Thursday’s meeting. “You never speak unprepared and I like that you always come with the right answers and the right responses and the information that you need.”
With Melville stepping down at the end of his term alongside fellow Councilor at-Large Tom Gould, two at-Large seats will not be sought by incumbents in the fall election.
So far, Jaclyn Corriveau and current School Committee member Jarrod Hochman have announced they will be running as newcomers to the Council.
Any newly elected council members should know that working in city government is a team effort, Melville said.
“That’s the number one thing…” he said. “It’s not just elected officials. It’s community groups, it’s the volunteer boards and commissions, the administration, it’s department heads, it’s everybody, it’s not an individual.
“That’s how successful communities survive. They survive as a team.”
Nomination papers are available from the City Clerk’s office at Peabody City Hall through July 11. Papers must be filed by July 15.
Contact Caroline Enos at CEnos@northofboston.com