American flag flying at half staff against a blue sky

Memorial Day Closures

The Town Offices, Community Center, and Center for Active Living will be closed on Monday, May 26th in observance of Memorial Day. The Transfer Station will be open during normal operating hours.

Man in uniform at podium with men in Coast Guard uniform behind him

Memorial Day Observance

The Town’s Memorial Day Observance will take place on Monday, May 26, 2025, beginning at 10:00 a.m. on the front lawn of the Community Center, adjacent to the World War I Memorial. The ceremony will move indoors in case of inclement weather. SPC Ted Miller, US Army Ret., will be the guest speaker.

Marshall Burke center with members of the Harbormaster's staff

Welcome Marshall Burke

Marshall Burke was sworn in as our newest Deputy Harbormaster on Tuesday, May 20th. Mr. Burke began his employment on May 21st after retiring from 20 years of active duty with the US Coast Guard, with the past 10 years serving Cape Cod from Provincetown to Sandwich. He served as a Heavy Weather/Surf Search and Rescue Boat Operator and Federal Boarding Officer at Station Chatham from 2015 through 2019 before becoming the Executive Petty Officer at Station Provincetown from 2019 through 2024. He most recently served as Rescue and Survival Systems Program Manager for the Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team, Cape Cod.

Throughout his various roles and assignments with the Coast Guard, Mr. Burke has been responsible for personnel management, operating budgets, waterfront facilities, unit safety, search, rescue, and survival, training and commercial fisheries boarding, all of which will serve him well in his new role.

Please join us in welcoming Marshall to Team Chatham!

Blue lighthouse with red stripes behind and gold stars above

Parade Registration is Open!

Registration to participate in this year’s Independence Day Parade is open! Those interested in participating must visit the Parade Committee’s Essential Information webpage to access the registration link. The page contains relevant application dates, rules of participation, parade-day logistics and reviews judging criteria and award categories. The deadline to register to participate is Sunday, June 15th.

The theme of the 2025 parade is “Seasons of Chatham” and Bette Hahner, an active year-round volunteer with many local organizations will serve as Grand Marshall.

The parade will be held on Friday, July 4th and steps off from the intersection of Shore Road and Main Street at 9:30 a.m.

Select Board and Town Manager seated at the dais in te large meeting room

Select Board Action – May 20th

The Select Board opened its weekly meeting with a public hearing on the Chatham Squire’s management’s request to use the restaurant’s outdoor patio for patrons to smoke and vape after its closing for the service of food and alcohol. Select Board Metters recused himself from this matter as a family member is an abutter to the property. Correspondence received opposing the request was read into the record. After hearing from the public and the applicant, the Select Board voted to deny the request.

Pat Burke, Chair of the Council on Aging (COA) Board of Directors, provided the Board an update on the activities of the COA Board over the last year, the plans to relocate activities to the Community Center during the renovation of the Center for Active Living (CFAL) approved by 2025 Annual Town Meeting, the new Ryder’s Cove Respite program, and programming at the CFAL.

The Select Board approved the use of Town property and a Special One Day Entertainment permit for the 4^th Annual July Fireworks & Entertainment at Veterans Field to be held on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

The Select Board approved requests from the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center for Special One Day Entertainment Licenses for the Center’s “Music on the Veranda” series held at the Center, 831 Orleans Rd., North Chatham, on various dates throughout the summer.

The Board approved the Town Facility Use Policy as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Commission with a 10% revenue fee for licenses to conduct private businesses on Town property for returning businesses for this year with an increase to 20% next year.

The Select Board granted a license to Enter and Use Real Town Property to Jennifra Norton of Chatham Yoga for the use of Lighthouse Beach for the 2025 summer season with a 10% revenue fee.

The Select Board discussed Board/Commission/Committee Liaison Assignments for 2025-2026 including assignment to the Affordable Housing Trust under the new proposed bylaw amendment approved at 2025 Annual Town Meeting. Mr. Dykens expressed his interest in being assigned to the Committee for People with Disabilities and Energy and Climate Action Committee and a willingness to give up the Open Space Committee as it is inactive at this time. Mr. Metters expressed an interest in maintaining his assignments and a willingness to take on the Planning Board. Mr. Smith said he is willing to accept the committees previously assigned to Select Board member Mike Schell with the addition of the Traffic Safety Committee. The Planning Board will be reassigned to Mr. Metters and the Open Space Committee to Ms. Davis.

The Board reviewed the dates proposed for its 2025 Summer Schedule (June through mid-October) and agreed to start meetings at 5 p.m. for the summer season. The Select Board will meet on June 24, July 8 & 22, August 5 & 19, September 2, 16 & 30, and October 14.

Cathy Lewis, Executive Assistant to the Select Board & Town Manager, provided an update on the process to re-appoint Board/Commission/Committee members and the time needed to interview/re-interview candidates. She noted that all candidates to regulatory boards are incumbents. It was suggested that any interview be limited to 10 minutes. It was agreed that a marathon session of interviews on June 17th would be favored.

A group of people seated in folding chairs with their backs to the camera. A screen and projector are in the front of the room.

Community Workshop Review

A hardy group of residents braved Thursday’s stormy weather to attend a community workshop at the South Chatham Village Hall hosted by the Town’s Department of Natural Resources.

Jim Sullivan of the South Coastal Harbor Plan Committee reviewed the history and development of the South Coastal Harbor Plan and the work underway to update and renew the Plan. The public is welcome to make comments on the proposed updates, specifically Addendum 1, which is a summary of new initiatives and recommendations, and Addendum 2, which is a report on the implementation of the plan to date, prior to the update being submitted to the State in the fall. Comments may be sent to cricks@chatham-ma.gov.

Jeff Gregg, GHD, explained that the vast majority of Town is designated as a Nitrogen Sensitive Area and discussed how this designation, as well as the setting of total maximum daily loads (TMDL) for watersheds by the State, has driven decisions on the prioritization of sewer installations. He discussed the development process of the State’s first Watershed Permit for Pleasant Bay and the Town’s pursuit of a second Watershed Permit for the rest of the Town. He said the original Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan is under review for any needed adjustments to implementation phasing and updated cost projections.

Yellow triangular "Area Closed" sign on a beach

Shore Bird Report

Piping Plover pairs are present at virtually all Town beaches, many of which have nests and are incubating eggs. The earliest predicted hatch dates are May 25th. American Oystercatchers and Least Terns are also present and nesting on our beaches.

Protective fencing has been adjusted to accommodate new nests.

Dog tracks were reported on Forest, Ridgevale, Harding’s, and Lighthouse Beaches this week, despite the seasonal restriction prohibiting dogs on public beaches after April 30th. Please respect the prohibition, not only for the protection of the endangered shore birds, but to mitigate public health concerns related to contamination and water quality.

Last Call for Commercial Shellfish Permits

The last day for eligible Chatham residents to apply for a commercial shellfish permit is Friday, May 30th. Application and residency affidavit are available online. The Sticker Office, 261 George Ryder Road, will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday through May 30th.

Blessing of the Fleet June 1st at the Fish Pier

Free parking on site and at Chatham Elementary School with a Free shuttle to the Fish Pier. Shuttle service starts at 1:15pm to and from the Chatham Fish Pier until 4:45pm.

Click graphic for more details!

Town seal with the silhouette of a speaker at a podium in the center

Upcoming Public Hearings

The Select Board will hold the following public hearings during their regularly scheduled meetings on Tuesdays, beginning at 5:30 p.m., in the large meeting room at the Town Office Annex, 261 George Ryder Road.

May 27th

To consider a petition from NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy to install one (1) handhole 48/H23-5A and 40’ +/- 1-2” conduit to a customer installed handhole 48/H23-5B to provide new underground service to the customer located at 351 Barn Hill Road.

June 3rd

To consider a petition from Verizon New England Inc. and NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy to install one (1) new midspan pole numbered 48/23.5, located one hundred-six (106) feet North of existing pole numbered 48/24 on Barn Hill Road. Verizon is proposing to use one (2M) cable attachment on the proposed pole along Barn Hill Road. This petition is necessary to support permanent power at the request of a resident located at 351 Barn Hill Road in Chatham, MA.

To consider a petition from Verizon New England Inc. and NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy to install one (1) new pole numbered 51/6.5, located twenty (20) feet east of existing pole numbered 51/7, directly southeast of the intersection of Depot Road and Hitching Post Road. The proposed pole will fall approximately four (4) feet south of the sidewalk, adjacent to Chatham Veterans Field. This petition is being requested by Eversource to increase the height of cables on the proposed and nearby poles, as well as provide for the distribution of intelligence and telecommunications and the transmission of high and low voltage electric current.

June 10th

To consider increases to the current list of Town of Chatham Transfer Station fees as follows:

9-11 bags of garbage, increase from $15 to $20
Commercial Garbage, increase from $90/T to $175/T
Commercial Single Stream Recycling, increase from $110/T to $150/T
Chair (upholstered), increase from $5/ea. to $15/ea.
Demolition/Construction Debris, increase from $190/T to $225/T
Mattresses & Box Springs, increase from $30/ea. to $50/ea.
Sofa, increase from $15/ea. to $30/ea.
Large Truck Tires, increase from $15/ea. to $20/ea.
Fire Extinguishers, increase from $2/ea. to $10/ea.

And to consider establishing a new category of Transfer Station Fees:

Crib Mattresses, establish this item and charge $10/ea.

Interested parties are encouraged to participate in-person or through the link in the meetings’ posted agendas.

Person in orange vest standing on a large pipe in the ground with an excavator in the background

Sewer Construction Update

Work for the week of May 26^th – May 30^th

No Work on Memorial Day

Oyster Pond Sewer Extension Project

Tuesday, May 27th – Replacement of the water main on Kelley Lane will necessitate the shut off of the water main on The Cornfield. All affected customers were notified by the contractor. This work should take approximately 6-8 hours to complete, and water should be restored by end of the day.

Sewer work will continue on Kelley Lane. Local traffic only. Police detail(s) will be on-site and signage in place to assist residents.

Site work will continue at the Oyster Pond Condominiums (OPC) pumping station site (1233 Main Street).

Stage Harbor Sewer Extension Project

Site work is planned to continue at the pumping station site (Old Mill Boat Yard/Harbormasters Garage).

Mill Pond Pump Station

Site work is planned at the Mill Pond pumping station site (85 Mill Pond Road). Road closures are planned for Mill Pond Road and Homestead Lane, local traffic only.

Concentric circles above the words Cape Cod Commission

Public Comment Sought; Vision Zero Action Plan

The Cape Cod Commission has released the draft Cape Cod Vision Zero Action Plan for a 21-day public comment period. The Vision Zero Action Plan is a comprehensive safety action plan to reduce and eliminate serious injury and fatal motor vehicle crashes affecting all roadway users on Cape Cod by 2050. Informed by extensive public outreach, the Plan was developed in close coordination with all 15 towns and the Vision Zero Advisory Committee.

People in Barnstable County continue to lose their lives in traffic crashes. Eighty-one fatal crashes and 644 serious injury crashes occurred in Barnstable County from 2018 to 2023, an average of 14 fatalities and 107 serious injuries per year.

The Vision Zero Action Plan presents a coordinated, data-driven approach to improving roadway safety across Cape Cod, with strategies tailored to the unique context of each of the region’s fifteen towns. For every town, the plan includes a detailed analysis of local crash patterns and a customized set of recommendations. Key focus areas include speed management, roadway departures, intersections and driveways, pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Within each focus area, effective engineering strategies are identified to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes.

Public comments are being accepted through June 13, 2025 and can be submitted via mail to: Cape Cod Commission, 3225 Main Street, Barnstable MA 02630, via email: transportation@capecodcommission.org or by fax to 508-362-3136.

View the draft Cape Cod Vision Zero Action Plan: www.capecodcommission.org/vision-zero.

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!

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