Kearcher running for selectman
SHARON — Steeped in Sharon life and a diligent volunteer, Lynn Kearcher has announced that she will seek the nomination to become a Democratic candidate for the Board of Selectmen, hoping to fill the vacancy created by selectman Casey Flanagan who earlier announced his candidacy for the post of First Selectman. Kearcher’s announcement came on Friday, May 19.
Current First Selectman Brent Colley, having served five consecutive terms, announced on Monday, April 3, that he would not run for another term in the upcoming November election.
The Democratic Party Caucus, when the official slate of candidates is determined, is scheduled for Monday, July 24, at the Taghhannuck Grange.
Kearcher presently serves as an alternate member on both the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Inland Wetlands Commission. If she is elected to the Board of Selectmen, she indicates that she would vacate her position on the former and continue as an alternate on the latter.
Born at Sharon Hospital and schooled in Sharon, Kearcher lived near enough to Mudge Pond to develop a lasting interest in waterway protection. Her childhood activities ranged from swimming lessons to canoeing to skating. Kearcher is a graduate of Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS), and her son, Max, has also attended all grades at Sharon Center School and graduated from HVRHS.
As her family owned The Woodland restaurant in Lakeville, Kercher’s young interest explored the art of cooking that evolved into drama and art studies. She returned to settle in New York City and a career in editing and writing.
Kearcher and her artist husband Carl Chaiet purchased a home on Sharon Mountain and moved full-time to Sharon in 1990. At that point Kearcher began her commitment to volunteering, beginning with the PTO and leading to her forming the Sharon Lake Association in 1995, instrumental obtaining a grant to rid Mudge Pond of invasive plants. Her interest in the arts continued, leading her to create a scholarship for promising HVRHS students who will major in the arts.
Both Kearcher and Flanagan plan to hold joint meet and greet coffee sessions monthly at Gifford’s, inviting residents to join in conversation about local issues. The first coffee gathering is scheduled for Saturday, June 17, beginning at 8 a.m.
