Politics & Government
Ward Councilor Mello Not Running for Re-election
City councilor Rico Mello will not be running for re-election this fall, leaving his ward seat open for the first time in 10 years.
Peabody city councilor Rico Mello says he won't run again for his seat in Ward 3.
Mello, speaking with Peabody Patch during Thursday night's City Council meeting, said it's time for him to step down and let someone new run for office. He said his decision was for personal and family reasons.
Mello, 51, has represented the residents of the East End of Peabody for 10 years, generally running unopposed, although he did have two challengers in 2011. He handily defeated Steven Jennings although Tom Serino wasn't too far behind in a primary race.
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Mello said he always strived to voice his constituents' concerns, whether on taxes, housing, flooding, traffic or other hot-button issues -- oftentimes at odds with City Hall -- and he feels he's done just that.
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A Peabody native, Mello ran for Mayor in 2001 and then for his current City Council seat in Ward 3 in 2003, defeating former councilor James Moutsoulas and Manny Vieira.
Mello is the third veteran councilor to announce this year will be his last -- Dave Gamache and Jim Liacos are also not running for re-election.
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