Channel 18 is Moving to Channel 8

Comcast notified the Town that Chatham’s government access channel (currently Channel 18) will be moving to Channel 8 on August 17, 2023. We are excited by this opportunity to re-brand the channel as Chatham TV.

Notification of the change will be run on Channel 18, on the Town’s website (www.chatham-ma.gov), and social media accounts until the switch occurs. The Town is committed to conducting business in an open and transparent manner and will make every effort to educate the public about this change before it occurs.

A Portion of North Beach Open to OSVs

A portion of the Chatham section of Nauset/North Beach opened to Oversand Vehicle (OSV) travel at noon on Thursday, August 3rd to all permit holders with the following limitations:

• Front beach travel only from the Town Line (Trail 6) to Trail 8 (flagpole).

• The Inner Trail remains closed.

• South of Trail 8 to the Point (Inlet) area remains closed due to unfledged Piping Plover chicks and incubating Least Tern nests.

Staff are monitoring nesting and fledging status daily and further updates will be forthcoming. All Regulations regarding restrictions on access to endangered species habitat areas, dogs, and other Beach Regulations remain in full force.Your cooperation is appreciated in maintaining beach access.

Rendering of the proposed Center for Active Living

Special Town Meeting Forums Set

The Chatham Select Board voted on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 to hold two community forums on the article proposing final design and construction of a new Center for Active Living at 1610 Main Street in advance of the Special Town Meeting scheduled for Monday, September 18, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.

The first forum will be dedicated to a review of the design, planning, and construction of the facility, including a review of cost estimates, and will be held on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. The public will have the opportunity to ask questions of the project team on the material presented.

An open community discussion will be the focus of the second meeting to be held on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. Citizen prepared presentations will be allowed and should be emailed to Cathy Lewis at clewis@chatham-ma.gov no later than 4 p.m. on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Those who are unable to attend or who prefer to submit their questions or comments in writing may email them to communityforum@chatham-ma.gov or submit them through the Community Voice portal on the Town’s website (www.chatham-ma.gov) no later than 4 p.m. on Monday September 11, 2023. Comments and presentations will be limited to 5 minutes per person.

Both meetings will be held in the large meeting room on the lower level of the Town Office Annex, 261 George Ryder Road. Remote participation will be available for both meetings and the links to join will be included in the agendas posted to www.mytowngovernment.org, on the Meetings & Events Calendar on the Town website, and on the Town’s social media accounts. The meetings will be broadcast on the Town’s government access channel (moving to Channel 8!) and archived for viewing through the Town’s website. Commenting at either meeting does not preclude someone from speaking at the Special Town Meeting.

In Case You Missed It

Dr. Robert Duncanson's final report to the Select Board, an update on the Town's implementation of its Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan, was presented on July 25th. The presentation may be viewed through Channel 18's (soon to be Chatham TV on Channel 8!) on-demand archive on the Town's website. Click on the camera icon next to the agenda item to jump to that portion of the video.

Sewer Construction Update

C.C. Construction, Inc. will be continuing work for the for the Queen Anne Pumping Station (QAPS) Upgrade during the week of August 7th – August 11th.

There will be a one-lane closure with alternating traffic on Oyster Pond Furlong closest to the intersection with Queen Anne Road to facilitate work planned in the vicinity of the pump station site (40 Queen Anne Road; SE corner of Queen Anne Road & Oyster Pond Furlong). Police details and signage will be in place to assist motorists.

Annual Summer Town Meeting on August 8, 2023 at 7 p.m. at the Annex

Stone mile marker next to bike path with two cyclists riding by.

Bikeways Committee Seeking Sponsors

The Chatham Bikeways Committee has set a goal of locating new benches on the Chatham section of the Old Colony Rail Trail (OCRT). The Committee is seeking donors who wish to sponsor the installation of a bench which may include a dedication plaque.

The OCRT was completed over 20 years ago. In recent years, the use of the Bike Trail by non-bikers has increased significantly. In fact, traffic counts, taken by the Chatham Bikeways Committee, show that approximately one-third of all Trail users are walkers, joggers, skaters, skateboard users and caregivers of children or the elderly. In-season, daily trail counts can easily reach 1,000 users.

Users of the Chatham portion of the OCRT have difficulty in finding a place for a respite as the Town has only one bench on its 4.6-mile portion of the Trail. Recognizing the need for benches to accommodate Trail users, Harwich has installed ten (10) benches along its 3.4-mile stretch. Some of these benches have been donated with memorial plaques attached.

Benches have been donated at several locations in Chatham through the Memorial Benches Policy of the Parks and Recreation Commission. The OCRT, however, is under the care of the Chatham Department of Public Works (DPW) and jurisdiction of the Select Board. The Committee is working with the DPW to establish a process to accept donations for benches similar to the Park and Recreation Commission’s Memorial Bench program.

Benches will be spaced along the length of the Trail. The cost of each bench is approximately $2,500, including installation costs and a memorial plaque, if desired.

Anyone interested in receiving more information about donating a bench should email their contact information to BikewaysCommittee@chatham-ma.gov.

Three pages indicating graphs and charts

Town Manager's Monthly Reports

Town Manager Jill Goldsmith brings to the Select Board each month her Town Manager's Report which includes reports from each Department detailing the work accomplished for the preceding month plus information on current happenings as well as employee anniversaries, new hires and Town job openings.

Each Department conveys its information through a combination of statistics and narratives. So, if you are interested in the number of marriages or births that have been registered in Town check out the Town Clerk's report. Wondering about water usage? That information is in the Public Works report. Curious about how many calls to which the Fire Department responded? Yup, you guessed it, it's in the Fire Department report.

Monthly Reports are posted to the Town website. Reports going back to 2011 are archived so you can compare trends over time too!

Book and Bake Sale at the South Chatham Village Hall on Saturday August 5 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Volunteer to Serve Your Community

Do you have an area of particular interest or expertise? Are you looking for a way to give back to the community?

Please consider volunteering on a Town committee! We have opportunities in a variety of areas ranging from arts and culture to conservation and open space to public ceremonies and the Independence Day Parade. Check out the full listing of committee vacancies and when you find the right fit for you, apply to serve online.

Cartoon image of woman with tissue to her nose

COVID 19 Test Kits Available

While COVID-19 infections are vastly reduced since the beginning of the pandemic there are still cases being reported locally. If you have symptoms, play it safe and get tested to have access to the best treatments and to protect your family and friends.

Free test kits are available to residents at the Health Department, 261 George Ryder Road.

Next Select Board Meeting - August 15, 2023 @ 5:30 p.m.

All are welcome to attend and participate in our open and public meetings. The agenda for each meeting is posted 48 business hours prior to the scheduled meeting time and can be accessed through the Select Board’s webpage.

Attend in-person at the Town Office Annex, Large Meeting Room. Join the meeting on-line or participate by phone by dialing 1-508-945-4410 and entering Conference ID 203 386 491#.

The Mainsheet

The name of our e-newsletter was selected from submissions by our community.
In nautical terms a mainsheet is the line connected to the boom which allows a sailor to control the speed of a boat. We think that is fitting for an e-newsletter that can be used to quickly send out important information to our community or at a more leisurely rate for less pressing matters. It reflects Chatham’s maritime history, is reminiscent of the front page of a newspaper, and it is a fun play on Main Street, where you go to be part of all that is happening in Town!

Town of Chatham website www.chatham-ma.gov