As it stands, there will be at least one wide open seat on the Wareham School Committee at the annual Town Elections on April 7, 2015.

First-term member Michael Flaherty recently announced that he will not return to the committee in 2015. As of now, Geoff Swett said he intends to run again.

Both Flaherty’s and Swett’s current three-year terms began in 2012.

Flaherty said he’s not ruling out a future return to the committee.

“I just need more time with my family . . . for now,” said Flaherty. “It probably won’t be for two years, if at all. One or two years.”

Swett said he has served on the Committee three times including this term with a one-year break in between his first and second terms.

He said news regarding Flaherty's decision came as a surprise to him.

“As of now I will be running again,” said Swett. “Some things might change.”

“I was surprised to hear that (Flaherty wasn’t planning to return),” he added. “He hasn’t mentioned it to me, so I’m surprised.”

Swett said Flaherty’s decision will have no effect on his plan to run for re-election.

“I greatly respect the work he’s done for the School Committee,” said Swett, “but we make decisions independently.”

Flaherty said he decided to make the announcement prior to the next School Committee meeting on January 7 because he wanted to give potential candidates time to get organized.

“I wanted to get the word out there — it takes time. If they want to order signs, etc., I wanted to make sure people had a chance to run a campaign if they wanted to,” said Flaherty.

He said he hoped this upcoming race will be more competitive than in past years, which saw Committee members Cliff Sylvia, Mel Lazarus, and Rhonda Veugen run unopposed.

“This town needs competitive races — that’s why i wanted to get the word out,” he said.