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Andrew Surprise highlights PFAS advocacy, budget experience and local economic plans in Brookfield TA interview
Summary
In a 45-minute interview with the Brookfield Select Board, town administrator finalist Andrew Surprise emphasized his experience managing large budgets, leading PFAS remediation advocacy that secured federal funding, and plans for targeted economic development and hiring to strengthen town services.
The Brookfield Select Board interviewed Andrew Surprise as part of its search for a town administrator, hearing him emphasize budget discipline, intergovernmental advocacy and a 90-day onboarding plan. Surprise said his background includes running regional chambers, more than 16 years in political and public-affairs consulting and elected service where he chaired government relations and finance committees.
Surprise recounted leading a multiagency effort on PFAS contamination that he said "we were successful in doing that in 2020, and Westfield received a 1st payment of 1,350,000." He told the board he has experience managing large public budgets—he cited meeting with department heads while overseeing what he described as a $130,000,000 budget—and favors zero-based budgeting and public transparency to reduce waste. "I never voted for 1 tax increase," he said, adding his priority is ensuring money comes from the correct funding sources.
On staffing and winter readiness, Surprise said he would use timelines in his 90-day plan to identify and prioritize hires, support training and licensure, and accelerate recruiting for the highway department so critical functions continue. He told the board he would "make sure that the funding is in place and available" for time-sensitive projects tied to matching funds.
Asked about using Chapter 90 road funds for nonroad projects, Surprise said he is "not in favor of using chapter 90 money for anything aside from roads and sidewalks, bridges and the like," arguing limited state road dollars should go to critical infrastructure. For revenue stability, Surprise described a tool he advanced in Westfield: adopting MGL chapter 40, section 5B to create a dedicated stabilization fund for road and sidewalk repairs, funded by transfers or designated local excise taxes.
Surprise said he is open to relocating to the region within a year if offered the position and stressed his intent to provide regular, individual communications to select-board members while avoiding serial meeting-law violations. The board recessed briefly and planned to continue interviews and likely vote on the position at a subsequent meeting.
