Candidate Responses 2025 — Amherst Forward

2025 Candidate Questionnaire Responses:

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Name: Ndifreke Ette

Role. (Town Council Only) Amherst has a 13-person Town Council that hires and works with a professional Town Manager (and, through the Manager, Town staff). What do you see as the role of a Town Councilor in this system?

Town Councilors are elected representatives. They amplify the desires of constituents and advocate for their interests; they hold public meetings and collaborate with other councilors on initiatives, legislative measures and other symbolic decisions; they allocate community resources through the budget, and oversee the executive and administrative branches. In addition, councilors educate the public on how government works.

Relevant experience. (Incumbent) In addition to serving on the Council/as a School Committee member, what other experiences - including lived, professional, civic, and volunteer - shape your approach to serving on the Council/School Committee?

Growing up abroad in Nigeria, living in several states across the United States, and promoting diversity and equity in engineering education, are a few of the experiences that shape how I approach politics. In Nigeria, I observed the dangers of divisive politics; my time in Louisiana, Texas, New York and Massachusetts were an education in what different Americans believe; my career in diversity, equity and inclusion reminds me that building a caring community is a never-ending challenge. This is where my passion for collaborative, balanced and process-driven politics comes from.

Collaborative decision-making. (Town Council) Individual Councilors represent their constituents in decision-making, but to be effective, they need to collaborate to get to a majority. Give an example of when you had to collaborate with others to solve a problem. What lessons learned would you apply as a Town Councilor (or have you applied if you currently serve as a Town Councilor)?

One of the major decisions the Council makes each year is the budget. Last year, there were challenges reconciling priorities of Council, the Town Manager and the various Town departments. To balance the budget, we made some tough decisions related to the schools, capital spending and staff positions. Lessons learned: First, the Council works best when compromise isn’t seen as a defeat. Second, a process-driven approach to politics is equitable and efficient.

Key town needs. What do you see as the top 3 key areas the Town needs to make progress in? How would you plan to help progress happen in those areas?*

Amherst has significant needs related to housing, public infrastructure and sustaining strong public schools. Our biggest challenge is to sustain a vibrant, inclusive community while addressing housing, infrastructure, and school funding pressures. To attract and retain families, maintain quality schools, and invest in roads and public facilities, Amherst depends on a stable revenue base and a realistic plan for growth. As councilor, I would remain focused on long-term fiscal planning, as I believe it is essential that housing or capital spending are made in a coordinated, transparent way.

Council accomplishments. (Town Council Only) What do you see as the biggest accomplishments of the Council in this term? This can include the way the Council functioned, its governance, and/or specific initiatives or needs the Council moved forward. For incumbents, what was your role in that success?

Significant accomplishments of the Council include the completion of the Amherst Black Reparations Committee charge, the renovation of Amherst Regional High School track and passing the rental registration bylaw. As councilor, I was involved in the deliberation that led to these decisions. More importantly, I advocated for the interests of District One constituents, channeling their desires into Council action.

Council shortcomings. (Town Council Only) Where did the Council fall short this term? How do you think it could have done better? This can include the way the Council functions, its governance, and/or specific initiatives.

There is always room to improve. In addition to the major capital projects—schools, DPW, fire station—the Council can prioritize tackling the current state of the town’s infrastructure, roads and sidewalks. We should also consider procedures that could lower the temperature in meetings and during public comments. Clashing agendas impede significant action from being taken.

Motivation to serve. In 500 characters or less, what is your biggest motivation to serve as a Town Councilor/on the School Committee? (500 characters ~ 150 words)*

I am motivated to continue supporting affordable housing and our public schools, maintaining and repairing our town’s infrastructure and modeling political representation built on respect and balanced judgment.

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Name: George Ryan

In addition to overseeing and evaluating the Town Manager the Council has a legislative and policy function. As a legislature it has final say on any changes or additions to the Zoning and General Bylaws. In the past two years it has approved a zoning overlay district for University Drive to encourage mixed-use development along the corridor leading to UMass and it created a Nuisance Property Bylaw which establishes a process to address properties which regularly violate state or local laws and thereby create a substantial public disturbance. The legislative function also reinforces and advances a larger policy function. In the first example by promoting housing growth and economic activity, in the second by improving quality of life in residential neighborhoods. In addition to its legislative and policy functions the Council also appoints the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, both bodies which play an important role in guiding and regulating land use and development within the Town. Finally, as a District Councilor, I also see my role as an advocate for the residents in my District, as someone who can help them with issues they might have with the Town. As such I work hard at communicating with them, both through my monthly Newsletter (it now has over 400 subscribers) and through holding of regular District meetings.

I was by profession a college educator, for over 40 years. My primary role as I saw it was to help my students become better critical thinkers. The skills of listening, communicating, and synthesizing information which I developed as a classroom teacher are skills I use regularly as a Councilor. In addition I served for many years on the Board of Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, serving as both Vice-President and President. In that capacity I helped oversee what we sometimes in jest would call a "volunteer construction company". I worked regularly with a large number of people from many walks of life in order to accomplish one very real and singular goal: to build a house that would become a home for our partner families. I learned firsthand the value of collaboration and experienced the joy of making a difference. And that in the end it is not about you but about what we can accomplish together.

Collaborative decision-making. (Town Council) Individual Councilors represent their constituents in decision-making, but to be effective, they need to collaborate to get to a majority. Give an example of when you had to collaborate with others to solve a problem. What lessons learned would you apply as a Town Councilor (or have you applied if you currently serve as a Town Councilor)?

I think back to my first term on the Council when a number of us worked together to establish what today is the Town Services and Outreach Committee (TSO). I saw, as did some of my colleagues, that the Council needed a committee that dealt primarily with the services that the Town provides its residents (recreation, senior services, public safety, health, inspections, public works). Not to to take the place of or dictate to the Town Manager or Department Heads but to provide policy guidance to the Council in those areas and to seek input from residents into how well we do as a Town in providing those services. It required a major overhaul of the then Council Committee structure and that required a great deal of compromise and collaboration.

Key town needs. What do you see as the top 3 key areas the Town needs to make progress in? How would you plan to help progress happen in those areas?

1. We need to find a way to fully fund our schools which also takes into consideration the fiscal realities of the Town and its responsibility to provide a whole range of key services. To achieve this we need honest and frank discussions based on mutually agreed facts about both the challenges that the schools face in fulfilling their mission and the challenges the Town faces in providing its core services. There has been some movement recently but to date those conversations have not happened. 2. We need to address the growing backlog of road and sidewalk repairs. We now have over 30% of our roads listed in the poor or unsatisfactory category. Two things are needed: a capital borrowing to fund a 3-5 plan to "catch up" with the backlog and a commitment to increase Town funding on a yearly basis to insure we don't keep falling back into the hole. 3. The Town has a large number of athletic and recreational fields. Two new fields are currently being created as part of the High School Track reorientation and repair and a new field will be created at the site of the elementary school currently under construction. We must bring the principal players together (Schools, DPW, and the various athletic associations) and create a master plan which addresses the issue of funding and establishes clear lines of responsibility and authority for the care and maintenance of our fields.

Accomplishments. (You can answer once for either Council or School Committee) What do you see as the biggest accomplishments of the Council/School Committee in this term? This can include the way it functioned, its governance, and/or specific initiatives or needs the Council or School Committee moved forward. For incumbents, what was your role in that success?

I am proud that the Council repeatedly affirmed the importance and value of the Jones Library Renovation and Expansion despite attempts by some over the past two years to derail that project. I am proud that the Council voted the funds needed to ensure that the repair of the High School track and field facility be done correctly and in line with the athletic facilities master plan, in spite of the efforts of some to do it "on the cheap". I am proud that the Council agreed to ask the Town Manager to issue an RFP to explore the options for improving our current waste management system, in the hopes that this will include townwide composting. And one accomplishment of which I am especially proud is still in process but nearing the finish line-- the creation of a Transportation and Parking Commission. The hope is that this body will make it easier for residents to bring their concerns to the Town in all matters related to roads and sidewalks, bike and pedestrian safety, and parking and help lessen the demand on staff time by providing a single venue for addressing these issues.

Shortcomings. (you can answer once for either Council or School Committee) Where did the Council or School Committee fall short this term? How do you think it could have done better and what you will do, if elected, to address this shortcoming - be specific! This can include the way it functions, its governance, and/or specific initiatives.

I don't know that it is a "shortcoming" but it is a real challenge -- getting 13 people to agree on long range policy goals. Housing is a good example. We have really struggled to articulate any real policy goals in this area. We have a Comprehensive Housing Policy document (which has everything but the kitchen sink in it and no real direction or prioritizing of the multitude of policy recommendations), we will soon have a Housing Production Plan (updating the one from 2015) which suffers, in my view, from the same problem as the Comprehensive Housing Policy, and we have the Master Plan but little overall agreement about how to proceed to address the housing crisis we face. We have a shortage of housing of all types, we no longer have "starter homes", in some parts of Town single and two-family homes "flip" into rental properties, changing the character of neighborhoods and we struggle as a Council to agree whether and how we should regulate this.

Motivation to serve. In 500 characters or less, what is your biggest motivation to serve as a Town Councilor/on the School Committee? (500 characters ~ 150 words)

I believe in service. I take pride in the five years I have served District 3. I think my core obligations as a Councilor are to listen, to inform, and then to make decisions that I believe are in the best interests of the Town and based on the best information I can get. I think my biggest motivator is the satisfaction I get when I am able to help a resident with an issue they are having with the Town. And convincing them (sometimes) that the Town does in fact really work for them.

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Name: Lynn Griesemer

Amherst Town Government • Town Council President and District 2 Councilor (2018-present) • Chaired the DPW/Fire Station Advisory Committee (2016-2018) and the Fire Station Study Committee (2004-06) • Helped establish the Zero Energy Bylaw • Former Town Meeting member Amherst Survival Center • President (2016-19) and member (2008-19) of the community-based board overseeing ASC’s program of food, clothing, healthcare, wellness and community • Chaired the capital campaign for ASC’s new building and serve on the Finance Committee and Investment Committee Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts • Member of the Board (2023-) and current President and Treasurer Girl Scouts of Western Massachusetts • Member of the Board and then chair of the Audit Committee (1996-present) UMass Donahue Institute • Organized services for dislocated workers, and eventually named Executive Director & UMass Associate VP for Economic Development • Led public service programs including workforce development, economic analysis (with the Federal Reserve in Boston), national leadership for Head Start training, and the Massachusetts Academy for New Legislators

Because we are part of a regional 7-12 school district, working to create a sustainable fiscal strategy for our schools requires cooperating with selectboard and finance committee members from all four towns. This has not always been easy in the past, but by having open communication about common concerns we have formed new and productive relationships.

Key town needs. What do you see as the top 3 key areas the Town needs to make progress in? How would you plan to help progress happen in those areas? *

Education has been my life’s work. Today, our public schools face unprecedented challenges, from stressed local revenues to a long-term enrollment decline to the much different future our children will face. o I’ve committed to working with the school committees, the Council and the community to develop a sustainable financial strategy for our schools that responds to our realities today and tomorrow Our progress on the elementary school and library projects reverses years of neglect of public infrastructure. I want to continue the job: o Affordable solutions for Fire and DPW o Upgrading the Bangs Center to better serve seniors o Getting our roads and sidewalks back into acceptable and sustainable shape Concrete steps to forge a safer and more just community. o I voted to create CRESS, our alternative response programs for non-violent and mental-health related emergency calls; the Town’s first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion department; and our process to establish our first police resident oversight board

One that stands out is completing the long process to launch the Jones Library project. It was a pivotal achievement, in large part because it had been so contentious for so long, and has cost the community so much in terms of both money and good will. I devoted special effort to collaborating with the Trustees and others to overcome what seemed like daily obstacles.

We have not yet come to terms with the tangled trends of tighter municipal revenue, escalating education spending and shrinking enrollment. Launching the Four Towns fiscal sustainability process will be essential to meeting that challenge (see "Collaborative decision-making," above).

Motivation to serve. In 500 characters or less, what is your biggest motivation to serve as a Town Councilor/on the School Committee? (500 characters ~ 150 words) *

I’ve spent my career working to build strong public and educational organizations, first as a classroom teacher, then as an education faculty member at the University of Rhode Island, then as director of a seven-state non-profit education consortium, and then for 31 years at the UMass Donahue Institute. Along the way I took a deeper dive into understanding how strong public institutions work by enrolling in the mid-career MPA program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. That experience continues to inspire me toward positive public service. I reject the corrosion that eats away at public confidence everywhere. Amherst should be an example of how good government works even when we disagree. That remains my highest priority.

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Name: Andy Churchill

I've served on the School Committee previously, and I think the Town Council role is analogous to that one, in which the Committee/Council is responsible for setting policies, passing a budget, and hiring/supervising/evaluating an executive who applies professional expertise to handling day-to-day operations. The difference is School Committee only has responsibility for the school budgets, while the Council has overall responsibility for the entire town budget, including the schools portion. A member has no power individually; power rests with the majority decisions of the entire body. In addition to decision making on the topics mentioned above, I believe a councilor also has a responsibility to be a "translator," connecting residents to their government and explaining government to the residents.

Relevant experience. (New Candidate) What experiences - including lived, professional, civic, and volunteer - will shape your approach to serving on the Council/School Committee?

I have a master’s degree in public policy, and my career and volunteer work have reflected my interest in municipal and state government. Roles in Amherst have included: Town Meeting; Elementary School Council; Elementary Parents’ Coalition (co-founder); School Committee (chair); Budget Coordinating Group; Joint Capital Planning Committee; Comprehensive Planning Committee; UMass/Amherst Town-Gown Steering Committee; Charter Commission (chair); Charter Review Committee. Combined with my career in education policy research and administration, this has given me a strong understanding of the town and its university and state partners.

I chaired the Charter Commission that was tasked with coming up with our new form of government. The elected Commission was deeply split, with 5 members who wanted a new form of government and 4 members who pretty clearly wanted to retain our old form of government. While we were unable to arrive at a consensus proposal, I believe we did manage to have a process where all members respected each other and all members felt heard. We ended up approving the new model by a 5-3 margin with one extension, and the town voters approved the proposed charter with almost 60 percent support. In general, I have found that you can get a lot done if you meet people where they are, listen more than you talk, and don’t care who gets the credit. A thick skin and a sense of humor also help!

Key town needs. What do you see as the top 3 key areas the Town needs to make progress in? How would you plan to help progress happen in those areas? *

1) More Housing - build more housing in appropriate locations to increase tax revenue and affordability; 2) Excellent Schools - ensure that our schools, which are key to our town's identity, maintain their excellence despite changing funding sources and demographics; 3) Infrastructure - we need a credible plan to eliminate our backlog of road repairs, and we still need a plan to build much needed DPW and Fire buildings, perhaps finding efficiencies by co-locating those two facilities. As a Councilor I would work to situate all these priorities in the Town Manager's goals. I would seek to develop a pro-housing caucus of Councilors and a pro-housing coalition in town. I would seek to build better relations between the Town Council and the School Committee, and encourage the Town Manager and the School Superintendent to meet more regularly and bring jointly developed budget plans to both committees.

I would say the University Drive Overlay District was a big accomplishment, because it represents a commitment to more intensive development in key areas, which will ultimately result in more tax revenues. A less-visible but also important vote was rejecting the proposal to lower density via "Footnote M." And staying the course on the new elementary school and renovated library ensured that we are making progress in updating some substandard infrastructure while also not allowing a minority of opponents to scuttle proposals approved by a democratic majority of voters.

The Town Manager review process seems kind of convoluted and messy. Town Council meetings have often been marathon sessions, though recently they seem to have become a bit more efficient. Town Council committees appear to have varying levels of organization and effectiveness; proposals seem to take an awfully long time to work their way through.

Motivation to serve. In 500 characters or less, what is your biggest motivation to serve as a Town Councilor/on the School Committee? (500 characters ~ 150 words) *

I’m motivated to run now because I'm worried about the fiscal sustainability of Amherst. State aid has decreased, taxes have gone up, and we have (rightfully) high expectations for the quality of our schools, roads, public facilities and services. We have a choice: we can either watch various groups fight over limited resources, or we can expand the pie of town revenues. I want to expand the pie, so that both our public services and our sense of community can be supported and strengthened.

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Name: Heather Hala Lord

I see the Town Council in a few roles, one is as a messenger, a wider net of resource that communicates with the people Amherst and bring back what we have heard to the manager. 13 of us, talking to constituents to not only bring back their thoughts, ideas, and concerns, but in reverse as well, we can share what our Town Manager is doing for our town, and have conversations about the issues and our progress. Another aspect is to support our Town Manager. We influence his goals and evaluations through recommendations, through approving appointments, budgets, and other methods. I see us working together to make Amherst the best version of itself and the Town Manager's job is huge, and we support the person in that position in various ways. I think a lot about how I, as a Town Councilor, can show up more for our tremendous town staff. I think as present as we are for our residents and Town Manager, we also need to be for our staff, not in an administrative position at all, as that is not our charge, but in gratitude for the fires they put, the youth they educate, the systems they keep running. We have an amazing town that runs well and our town staff is a huge part of that.

I bring a lived experience of having lived in Amherst for the majority of my life, from child to college student, to parent of children growing up in Amherst. I have been a teacher/counselor in the school system here for 12 years, as well as having two internships in our schools, one for each Master's degree. I went on to become a social worker to help our youth navigate a complicated emotional landscape that continues to be harder and under pressure, as well as to look at policy and systems in order to work towards equity and fairness. I have served on multiple committees, including two years on a town committee, almost two years on the School Committee, and now am finishing up two years on the Town Council. I have learned a lot during my time and utilized offerings such as the Municipal Massachusetts Association to further my knowledge base to better serve my town.

I love this question, and feel that by nature and in practice I am a collaborator. First, I know that we are better together and bringing divergent voices together best informs our output. The caveat to that is when, for various reasons, there is a barrier to collaboration. This is one place that I wish I had shown up more intentionally around the divide that is still in Amherst. I truly believe that we all have much more in common than what separates us. I have witnessed how misunderstandings, misrepresentations, and anger have interrupted our town processes and caused harm to our constituents and stakeholders. One of my goals was to help facilitate listening and healing so that we could collaborate more, and/or at the very least, reduce the misinformation and harm. I digress, but this feels strong in my heart and in my bones. There are times when I have disagreed with some of my fellow counselors, based on what I had been hearing from my constituents, like our funding for our schools. First, I believe our schools have been underfunded for decades and it isn't due to local or even state, I believe our nation should be funding our youth more than they do. I see this school funding as a place of divide on our council. Despite the various feelings, thoughts, and strong ideas regarding the funding deficit our schools are facing, we talked respectfully amongst each other and came up with a solution for this year. We also created a task force that might help better inform everyone involved and be proactive problem solvers. This school funding deficit is a repeat issue, and I am grateful to see the ways we are all working so hard to meet this challenge. If I am re-elected, I will continue to be an active listener, I will continue to have the hard conversations, and I will work from a place of belief that our goals for Amherst overlap more than they compete.

Key town needs. What do you see as the top 3 key areas the Town needs to make progress in? How would you plan to help progress happen in those areas?

To highlight three priorities we need to make progress in, I would say supporting our schools (as discussed above), improving our infrastructure, and addressing our housing crisis. All of these are deeply impacted by budget. Growing our relationship with the school committee is helpful but won't get us where we need to be in terms of our schools. We need to continue to work with our state legislators to address some of the inequity. The fact that the Charter schools get so much of our municipal money has a deep and detrimental impact on our ability to serve our students. The 2 million we paid last year would have erased the deficit and prevented cuts to student facing services, like the restorative justice department, arts teachers, para professionals, and counselors. I am in support of there being alternative to public schools, but I believe it should not be funded locally. I am an advocate for paying the same amount to a charter school that we pay for a school choice placement. Improving our infrastructure will take years but we are on the way. I am grateful that the state has increased the chapter 90 formula and that will help but it will not get us there, since we have such a backlog. I have a deep respect for and appreciation of Superintendent Mooring and all of our DPW staff, they work endlessly to repair our roads, keep our water safe, keep Amherst beautiful, and many other day to day labors. We need to house them better so that they are not leaked on or in a "less than safe" building. Again, money is the issue and this country is so heavily resourced, states and towns should have more than enough to be able to keep up with our infrastructure. Aside from advocating at the state and national level, we can find other ways, maybe think outside the box. I know one way to help with our fiscal reality is to generate more revenue as a town. I understand that we lose a great deal in property tax where there is our state university. There are creative ways to increase revenue, or get more funding (Amherst staff is great about applying and receiving grants) that we could explore. I see infrastructure as an equity issue as well because some of our sidewalks are not safe for our residents with mobility issues. Housing is a national issue and for Amherst, it isn't as simple as blaming the students. Many students end up staying and calling Amherst home for years to come, so I love that we have such a robust student presence. The Council, constituents, and committees have spent many hours working towards addressing the housing issue. The conversation around families, and year round residents come up and how to we attract and maintain families (combat declining enrollment)? Affordability is one of the issues that has impacted us greatly. We have building projects that dedicate units to "affordability" and other entities like Habitat for Humanity, Our Village Initiative, and Valley Community Development that are working with Amherst residents to build more home ownership. Massachusetts also has a robust housing voucher program that makes Amherst more affordable for families and it contributes to the greatness of our community. All of these efforts, and yet, we are still in crisis. Working with Umass is one path to address the student housing, which in impacts our year round housing. Working with organizations like above and others to help our renting residents with a pathway to home ownership, working with the state and national legislatures to impact policies around housing, like the ADU Lessing restrictions in the Affordable Homes Act. I wish I had the definitive answer to address housing, but I think if we continue moving forward with some of our intitatives, continue having the conversations, and continue to increase our revenue, we will impact our housing issues in a positive way.

As a council we have worked together to navigate a lot of change, and a lot of public engagement regarding things like the library renovation and funding our schools. One of our biggest accomplishments would be the collaborative and respectful way we work as a team. There were a few moments that devolved and a couple counselors would be tense but that was the exception, not the rule. When it comes to taking a stand against injustice and harm, I feel that the Town Council is working toward that. We have been proactive in our Sanctuary status, our out reach to our immigrants and immigrants families, and many of us, on our personal time show up to support our immigrants and protect them from harm. We meet for hours and debate issues that get really personal for some and I feel we work as a team. We spend time separating issues that have been conflated, like the notion that funding the Jones Library meant taking money away from our schools, when that is not the case, and I notice the patience and willingness to explain as many times as needed. Everything we have accomplished as a council, is in part due to our President, she is a great leader who listens, responds, and works with us to help us get to be more than functional, but proactive and present. I think our biggest accomplishment as a council was how we worked collaboratively and respectfully to move projects forward, address budgetary constraints, respond to devastating events, and to show up with some joy for our residents and each other.

One place I believe we as a Council fell short this term is in our working with the School Committee. In the end we have funded the school for the next fiscal year, but we can improve the process for the next time. I heard members from both bodies talking of the other in disparaging ways that sometimes would decenter the human. Funding our schools is a passionate topic and I feel that at times, we were not listening to understand but more listening to respond. I suggested to a few members from both groups that we were talking at each other, there was harm caused by things said, and that one path to repair was to come together as the two committees and have a restorative justice moment. I believe relationship is so important and we stay so busy, we don't have or haven't made time for a lot of relationship building. We are going to continue to find our budgets stressed, the needs of our students increased, and how we work together to find solutions is important. How we model that for the Amherst residents is important. For next term, I will work toward fostering more understanding between the elected committees, support the financial task force, and show up more at school committee meetings. Every time I have shown up, someone from the committee has thanked me and told me they felt supported and seen.

Motivation to serve. In 500 characters or less, what is your biggest motivation to serve as a Town Councilor/on the School Committee? (500 characters ~ 150 words)

My biggest motivation to run is equity for all. I don't believe that one's sociocultural location (ability, race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, age, religious expression) should be a factor in how they are treated, what access they have to resources, or how they are able to navigate through this world. I love Amherst with my whole heart, its people are truly what makes Amherst amazing and I am grateful to serve.

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Name: Sarah Marshall

Role.(School Committee Only) The Amherst School Committee is one of three school committees that hire and work with a professional School Superintendent (and, through the Superintendent, school staff). What do you see as the role of a School Committee member in this system?

One of the statutory duties of the School Committee is to hire and assess the work of the School Superintendent. Strictly speaking, the Amherst School Committee does not participate in hiring a Superintendent - it, along with the Pelham School Committee, is represented in that process by the Union 26 Superintendency Committee (U26). The Regional School Committee (RSC) and U26 together conduct a search, negotiate a contract, and hire a Superintendent. We followed this process recently to hire our current Superintendent, Dr. Xi. I was pleased to co-chair the preliminary screening committee that conducted interviews and selected finalists for the RSC and U26 to consider. Formal assessment of the Superintendent’s performance is conducted annually and jointly by the Amherst, Pelham, and Regional committees according to the process laid out by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The Superintendent develops annual performance goals and indicators in collaboration with the committees. Over the course of the academic year, the Superintendent collects evidence (“artifacts”) for the committees to review during mid-year and final assessments. While committee members have no direct involvement in the hiring or supervision of teachers, principals, or most staff, the Superintendent’s goals are used to set goals for employees she supervises and thus advance the work of the school system. Complaints to school committee members about staff are forwarded to the Superintendent. Each of us is responsible for giving the necessary time and attention to the Superintendent’s work, the elementary, middle, and high school programs, and school and student life during the year to give considered opinion on the Superintendent’s goals and performance. Throughout the year, committees engage the Superintendent about policy needs and implementation, curriculum, programs, adherence to budget, and other topics.

Public education is foundational to a diverse, healthy, democratic society. Having now served almost two years on the Amherst and Regional committees, I have a good understanding of the responsibilities and processes. My approach to School Committee work is the same as my approach to my earlier work on the Recreation Commission, Community Preservation Act Committee (CPAC), the Zoning Board of Appeals, and in other settings: open-minded, collaborative, considered, and non-reactive. In all such assignments, I aim to develop a solid understanding of the goals of the work, assume good intentions on the part of fellow committee members, and do not enter a discussion committed to a certain result. I spent five years as a high school science teacher and have an appreciation for the demands and rewards of the work. For most of my professional life I was a consultant in environmental health and developed rigorous habits of research and dispassionate weighing of evidence.

Collaborative decision-making. (School Committee) School Committees reach decisions by majority votes. Give an example of when you had to collaborate with others to solve a problem or make a decision. What lessons learned would you apply as a School Committee Member (or have you applied if you currently serve as a School Committee Member)?

The budget processes for both the Amherst and Regional School Committees have been fraught and painful over the past two years because revenue has not been adequate to maintain the educational programs and services the districts aspire (or are required) to provide. In our committee discussions with the Superintendent and her predecessor, the committees have struggled to come to agreement about budgets to put forward to the Town of Amherst (for the elementary schools) and the four towns of our region (for secondary schools). As a committee member, I have strived to understand our schools, their needs, the role of programs and services in advancing student success, the necessary administrative activities, the experiences of students, families, and educators, and town resources so that I can make the best choice from a set of unpalatable alternatives. And I strive to come to these discussions with an open mind, ready to hear from all stakeholders, and to keep students in the forefront. Another example is the effort I led in 2024, as ASC chair and chair of the Region’s Budget & Audit committee, to develop a joint ASC-RSC letter to DESE opposing the expansion of a local charter school. The problem we were addressing was the severe budgetary impact of the charges our districts incur every year a district student attends a charter school. The participants in this process conducted and shared research and submitted a letter for committee approval.

Key town needs. What do you see as the top 3 key areas the Town needs to make progress in? How would you plan to help progress happen in those areas? *

I will respond as if the question pertains to the schools rather than the Town. The three priority issues for the school, in my opinion, are: (1) For Amherst, achieving smooth transitions to the new school and of 6th-graders to the middle school building; (2) For Amherst, strengthening math instruction so that all students are ready for success in middle school algebra; (3) For the Region, continuing the policy work that supports all students and considering what are the programmatic options that could slow the rate of increases in our budgets.

Virtually all accomplishments of the school committees happen through votes, so no one member can claim responsibility. If I have played a particular role, I note that in parentheses below. 1. Hiring a new Superintendent (I co-chaired the 21-member preliminary screening committee that reviewed all resumes, interviewed 10 candidates, and submitted three finalists to the Regional and U26 Committees.) 2. Requiring and monitoring systems and policies to promptly respond to - and reduce - claims of bullying and harassment (I have been completely supportive of this work and recently proposed a Student Bill of Rights to empower students in their interactions with adults.) 3. Addressing some important capital needs in the region, namely, launching the track and field project and moving towards replacement of most of the Middle School roof. (I have requested more involvement by RSC members in capital planning.) 4. In Amherst elementary schools, maintaining support for beloved programs. (To improve the committee’s understanding of our elementary school programs, I requested presentations on Caminantes, English-language learning, and the preschool.) 5. In all committees, clarifying procedures and responsibilities, sometimes in conjunction with the Superintendent, so that work is done responsibly and efficiently. (As chair of the Regional Budget & Audit committee, I have helped us clarify with the administration our audit procedures and the various stages of budget development and committee involvement.)

I don’t know that the Amherst or Regional committees failed in any particular respect, but, as a result of a RSC retreat, we are refining or defining protocols for committee meetings and communications so that meetings are efficient, everyone is well prepared, and boundaries are respected. When I was ASC chair in 2024, I worked with the other committee chairs to develop and coordinate annual agendas. These calendars have improved efficiency by promoting joint committee meetings so that issues are dealt with only once. In addition, I have just been appointed the RSC liaison to the administration’s capital planning committee, which will increase the RSC’s involvement in plans for caring for the physical assets for which we are responsible.

Motivation to serve. In 500 characters or less, what is your biggest motivation to serve as a Town Councilor/on the School Committee? (500 characters ~ 150 words) *

I want to see our schools thrive as places of intellectual growth and curiosity, where young adults learn to respect diversity of belief, cultural background, and identity, and are prepared for success in their adult lives. I want to continue on School Committee to lessen turnover and loss of understanding and experience. I consider continuity particularly important at this time when the work is urgent and some senior administrators are relatively new to our districts.

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P.O. Box 3377

Amherst, MA 01004

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