Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan has announced he’ll seek another term in office. The 79-year old Ryan has served as mayor for three terms in the 1960s. He became mayor again in 2003, and won re-election in 2005. Ryan says continuity in leadership is important, especially at this time, with Springfield more than half way through its governance under the state appointed Finance Control Board, as he explains in the aduio. With 30-thousand people commuting to the city for work, Ryan says Springfield’s success is essential to the future of the entire region.

Ryan is oldest mayor in the state. He’s the first to announce his candidacy for the mayor’s seat in the next election.