Vice Mayor Bill Moody told council and the public that, after careful thought, he will not seek an eighth term on Portsmouth City Council.

In a prepared statement Moody thanked his colleagues, city staff and community partners and said he remained committed to completing his current year in office. He said it was "time for new voices, new energy, and new leadership" for Portsmouth but pledged to continue supporting neighborhood-strengthening initiatives, quality-of-life improvements and efforts to reduce tax burdens where feasible.

Mayor Glover and other council members responded with appreciation for Moody’s long service and praised recent collaborative efforts such as Thanksgiving meal distributions that council and staff organized.

Moody said he has a year left in his term and looks forward to continuing to serve and to supporting city initiatives in new ways after he leaves elected office.