Andy Hunter: Candidate, Merrimack School Board

Andy Hunter

Age (as of Election Day)

49

Position Sought

Merrimack School Board

Party Affiliation

This is a non partisan position

Family

Sarah - Wife
Brett - Son
Blake - Son

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BS - Excelsior College
Currently enrolled in MBA program - Excelsior College

Occupation

22+ Military Service
Director Foreign Military Sales, Collins Aerospace 6.5 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Merrimack School Budget Committee

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/Andy....

Why are you seeking elective office?

I believe there needs to be an increased focus on improving our schools. We need to set a clear goal to put Merrimack in the top ranked schools within the state and lay out a plan to achieve that goal. The School Board can then ensure the district is properly resourced to achieve this goal. There is no reason why such a great community like Merrimack shouldn't rank in the top 10% of schools within New Hampshire. The School Board needs to set clear goals and task the administration to develop the plan to achieve these goals. It won't be easy, it won't happen overnight, but it CAN be done. It will take leadership and a strong will, but the payoff for the children is incalculable.
The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing the School Board is the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Today we have small businesses within our community that are struggling to survive and many will not make it through this. This will not only effect small businesses, as many within our community are experiencing layoff, furloughs, and salary reductions. The School Board needs to take a proactive approach and curb unnecessary spending now. To wait until the taxpayers can no longer pay their taxes is unconscionable, they should be taking a proactive approach and identify spending that can be reduced. There are many items within the budget that can be reduced and have zero effect on student learning, I have included a list of these proposed expenditures in my open letter to the Merrimack School Board that was published on Patch.com (https://patch.com/users/andy-hunter-0)

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have only briefly met the other candidate for this position and I do not know much about her positions on current issues.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The incumbent is not seeking reelection.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Vocational opportunities for students not interested in college
Goal Setting - We need a road map to where we want to go
Teamwork
Continual Improvement - Everyday
Dealing with the forecasted economic downturn
A focus on whats best for ALL students

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Managing a portfolio of large sophisticated programs provides me with the opportunity to manage teams through complex decisions and budget issues. This experience, coupled with proven leadership and teamwork skills gained from a career in the military, has prepared me for the challenges of dealing with the district's issues and working with the other board members. A well rounded school board is made up from a diverse cross section of the community and I believe my diverse background as a Soldier and a corporate director will add depth, leadership, and fresh ideas to our current board.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

Leadership is action, not words.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am very open on all my positions. Please see my candidate page on Facebook where I have written in detail on many positions and feel fee to ask questions about anything you do not see. https://www.facebook.com/Andy....