Why I’m Running | Experience | Teamwork | About Me | How You Can Help | Supporters

Andy Churchill for Town Council (At-Large)

Why I’m Running

I’m running for Town Council 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.

Priorities

Amherst has a number of needs and challenges. Here are some areas that are priorities for me:

  • Housing: Build more housing in appropriate locations to increase tax revenue and affordability. (See this column I wrote on the topic.)
  • Schools: Ensure excellent schools amid changing funding sources and demographics.
  • Roads: We need a credible plan to eliminate our backlog of repairs.
  • Fire & DPW Buildings: Explore efficiency of co-locating them in one place.
  • Making the Charter Work: Keep improving the system I worked with others to develop.

But I also want to hear from you – what issues are you concerned about or interested in? Use the “Get Involved” link below to let me know what’s important to you.

Experience

I’ve lived in Amherst since 1995, I raised my kids here, and I love this town. Early on I attended a town “visioning” process in the high school cafeteria – a precursor to the master planning process that happened a few years later. This was catnip to someone with a master’s in public policy :-).

I soon joined Town Meeting, and when my kids entered school I was elected to their School Council, joined with other parents to found the Elementary Parents’ Coalition, and was elected to the Amherst School Committee.

This led to a number of other roles seeking to help out the town – here’s the full list:

  • 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

Teamwork

I’ve been able to work with a wide range of people to get things done for our town in a friendly, collaborative, problem-solving way. 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!

“It is a mistake to doubt people’s motives, no matter how big your differences of opinion. You have to meet people where they are, not where you think they should be.”

– Judy Meredith, longtime social services activist

About Me

I grew up in a small, rural town in central Connecticut. Like Amherst, it had town elementary schools and a regional high school. Graduates were about evenly split between those who went to college and those who went directly to work or joined the military. I ended up going to Dartmouth College, but my friends came from both groups. 

After college I spent some time working on an orchard in Holland, hitchhiking around Europe, playing guitar and drums in several Boston bands, and working temp jobs. I ended up helping run national conferences at the Harvard AIDS Institute, which led me to get a master’s degree in public policy at the University of California, Berkeley.

I spent my career in education research and administration, including work at Jobs for the Future, the UMass Center for Education Policy, the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, and the MA Department of Education. I retired in 2022.

I’ve lived in Amherst since 1995, and I raised my kids here – Graham (31) now lives in Los Angeles; Cal (29) lives with his husband Marshall in Northampton. I lived on Pine Street in North Amherst with Jackie Churchill until she passed away in 2020. I recently moved to South Amherst, where I now live on Pomeroy Lane with partner Laura Burnham. 

How You Can Help

I would love to have your help with the campaign! To do so, please take a moment to fill out this form. 

This will be a competitive town-wide campaign that will require some funds for things like lawn signs and mailings. If you would like to donate, checks can be made out to “Committee to Elect Andy Churchill” and mailed to Laura Burnham, Treasurer, 46 Pomeroy Lane, Amherst, MA 01002. Or you can donate online here. 

Contact Me

Thank you so much for supporting my campaign! 

Feel free to reach out to me at my email (achurchill123@gmail.com) or my phone (413-461-6310) if you have ideas, questions, or just want to chat at any time.

Supporters

Join these friends and neighbors who are supporting my campaign! (Add your name by clicking here.)

  • David Ahlfeld & Victoria Dickson
  • Farah Ameen & Jon McCabe
  • Margaret Andrews
  • Scott & Sarah Auerbach
  • Shalini Bahl-Milne
  • Clare Bertrand
  • Gary Bivona
  • Jeff & Marilyn Blaustein
  • Elaine Brighty
  • Jeremy Brown
  • Laura Burnham
  • Jim & Gena Collins
  • K.C. Conlan
  • Peter & Becky Demling
  • Ana Devlin Gauthier
  • Jerry Guidera
  • Nancy Eddy
  • Tamson Ely
  • Kent Faerber
  • Tom Fricke
  • Lori Friedman & Rob Olmsted
  • Yuri Friman
  • Melissa Giraud
  • Evelyn Goldenberg
  • Scott Goldman
  • MaryAnn Grim
  • Ginny Hamilton
  • Bryan Harvey
  • Aaron Hayden
  • Bennett Hazlip
  • Phoebe Hazzard
  • Kent Higgins
  • Kursten Holabird & Ken LeBlond
  • Sue & Todd Holland
  • Jennifer Holme & Robyn Miller
  • Jack Jemsek
  • Roy & Jeannie Johnson
  • Mary & Chris Kiely
  • Jan Klausner-Wise
  • Bob Kuklis
  • Sarah & Neils LaCour
  • Ray & Taryn LaRaja
  • Carole & Erik Learned-Miller
  • Mathew Lebowitz
  • Alex Lefebvre
  • Ellen Lindsey
  • Adam Lussier
  • Nina Mankin
  • Linda Marston & Dennis Bromery
  • Katie McDermott
  • Cammie McGovern
  • Keith & Susanne Michel
  • Rich & Alice Morse
  • Betsy & David Mullins
  • Evan Naismith
  • Johanna Neumann
  • Lawrence & Patty O’Brien
  • Ted Parker
  • Dale Peterson
  • David Ranen
  • Lindsay Read
  • Stacey Read
  • Meg Rosa
  • Evan Ross
  • George Ryan
  • Austin Sarat
  • Stephen Schreiber & Jane Thurber
  • Carol Sharick
  • Jacqueline & Pat Sheridan
  • Audrey Smith
  • Andy & Val Steinberg
  • Trudi Swain
  • Sharon Vardatira
  • Susan Waite & Todd Tripp
  • Elaine Walsh
  • Jessica & Eric Wilkinson
  • Rebecca & Michael Woodland
  • Erika Zekos & Derek Noble
  • Katie Zobel