Thirteen Apply for Three Vacant School Committee Seats

Thirteen residents have submitted applications and statements of interest to serve the remaining three months of the term following the resignation of three members of the Amherst School Committee in August. The 12 candidates are: Andy Churchill, Amy Cronin DiCaprio, Hugh Friel, Laura Hunter, Bridget Hynes, Katie Lazdowski, Sarah Marshall, Vince O’ Connor, Richard Roznoy, Gaylord Saulsberry, Kerri Spitzer, Roger Wallace, and Gabriela Cornejo Weaver. Statements of interest and applications can be read here.  

Each candidate will have up to two minutes to answer each of the eight questions from the Town Council, as well as two minutes each for an opening and closing statement. Council President Lynn Griesemer (District 2) stated at the September 18 Town Council meeting that the selection of the three of the candidates will be completed at the September 26 meeting. The successful candidates must receive a majority of votes from the councilors and remaining two school committee members who cast votes, which would be eight votes if all were present. Absences and abstentions will be considered as non-votes Multiple ballots may be needed. The selection process is described here.

Public comment will take place prior to the interviews but residents are encouraged to submit comments prior to the meeting using the town website. The link to the submitted comments will be posted in the meeting packet one hour prior to the meeting. If all candidates use their allotted time, the interviews will take four hours. The public comment and deliberation will be additional time. The meeting starts at 6 p.m.