PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Retired firefighter Andrew Wrinn is seeking the Ward 4 City Council seat with a focus on problem-solving and community collaboration.

 

He advocates for the general well-being of the ward — and city — with strong values in public safety, quality education, and a healthy environment.

 

This is his first candidacy for public office.

 

"[Pittsfield] has been my city for years and I've lived in Ward 4 for more than 22 years now, I was stationed at the Holmes Road fire station for a lot of years, and I met a lot of people," he said.

 

"I got to learn the streets, and I know the neighborhoods very well, I've met a lot of people, they've given me great suggestions, and good ideas, and their concerns and I just thought, now was the time to do it.  I hadn't been able to do it before that because of work commitments, but I'm able to do it now."

 

Wrinn was born and raised in Pittsfield and says the city gave him an education, a good job, and a safe place to live.  

 

He is an alumnus of South Junior High (now Herberg Middle School) and Pittsfield High School. His grandchildren currently attend Williams Elementary School within the ward.

 

Wrinn was a Pittsfield firefighter stationed at Engine 6 on Holmes Road for several years where he learned the ins and outs of Ward 4, including its streets and inhabitants.  

 

He also worked as a forensic consultant for various insurance companies and attorneys in New England and spent some time helping in New York City after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

 

His familiarity with the area and personal connection as a longtime resident inspired him to enter the race. He also feels that despite some changes over the years, Pittsfield is still a great place to live and raise a family.

 

"Ward 4 is like a tight community, as a family, you go in the local store and you see somebody and they'll talk to you, they'll tell you what's going on," Wrinn said. "We've been here so long that we could ask them how their children's last baseball game went, or whatever, you can't go in the store for less than 10 minutes, it's a hometown neighborhood."

 

He does not have a specific agenda for the campaign as to not champion any single cause over another.  Instead, Wrinn hopes to represent all 4,710 voters to the best of his ability while being a part of the city's moving forward into the future.

 

As a first-time candidate, he is not looking to become a career politician and is not interested in seeking higher office.

 

The Ward 4 seat is open after incumbent Chris Connell decided not to run for re-election. Wrinn will face off against James Conant in the November election.

 

Wrinn believes that the strongest thing that Pittsfield can do is have all of the communities anchor together for problem-solving.

 

"It's time that we look at things in a different perspective," he said. "New ideas, and things like that."

 

Though he has no specific agenda, he prioritizes public safety, quality education, and a healthy environment for residents' quality of life. In his outreach, he said many constituents expressed concerned for present issues in the schools and with crime.

 

Wrinn's wife is a small-business owner and he also aims to represent the needs of the local economy that has suffered greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

"They are a necessity," he said about the city's small businesses. "They are people's survival and I will do what I can to help them."

 

Wrinn is aware that the pandemic has set back Pittsfield along with the rest of the world and firmly believes that recovery will be slow but the city will come back stronger if everyone works together.

 

The strongest communities are anchored by collaboration and smart decisions, he said, and the policy decisions made by the City Council may change the future of Pittsfield.

 

Having worked as a first responder, Wrinn feels that his problem-solving skills and ability to make sometimes fast decisions in high-stress situations will make him a good representative for his ward.

 

He was attending a learning academy provided by the city to gather all of the knowledge he can about the operations of local government.

 

"I'm kind of a neighborhood guy that you would go to and try and help you fix something or help you get through something they might have a problem with," Wrinn said. "And if I can help them out, I'll be happy to do that."