Town Meeting Central

Annual Town Meeting will be held indoors on Saturday, May 6th beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Monomoy Regional Middle School gymnasium, 425 Crowell Road. Warrants have been mailed to the households of registered votes. Please bring your copy of the warrant with you to the Meeting!

As it is a Saturday morning meeting, and with 59 articles on the warrant, please consider bringing water and a snack with you in case the meeting runs into lunch time. Every article matters and we hope voters will attend the entire meeting.

New this year, electronic voting! At check-in, registered voters will be issued an electronic voting device or "clicker." The devices feature 5 buttons but only the top two - the green #1 button for a "yes" vote and the red #2 button for a "no" vote - will be enabled for Annual Town Meeting. Practice votes will be taken at the outset of the Meeting to give everyone the opportunity to try out the clickers before getting to voting on articles. The Moderator will determine which articles are voted by voice and which will be voted electronically. Take a minute to watch Moderator Bill Litchfield's brief presentation on electronic voting for a preview. Please be sure to return your clicker in the designated bins upon your exit!

For a comprehensive review of the articles in the warrant, please take the time to watch the 2023 Annual Town Meeting preview show.

Transportation and Parking

We always expect a large turn-out for the Annual Town Meeting. To avoid the crowds, consider arranging a ride to the Middle School through the Council on Aging. Reservations may be made by calling 508-945-5190. A drop off area at the front of the school will be available for those with mobility challenges. We also encourage carpooling!

Primary parking will be located at the Middle School itself. Volunteers will be on hand to ensure that parking is as efficient as possible to accommodate as many vehicles as possible. Secondary parking is available in the lot on Stepping Stones Road which is a short walk to the school. Additional parking is available at the Public Works Facility at 221 Crowell Road. Pedestrian access to the school from the Public Works facility is available via the Old Colony Rail Trail and shuttle to the school via golf cart will be available for those in need of assistance.

Childcare Available

Free childcare is available for ages 3 & up by reservation. Drop off begins at 9 a.m. in the Middle School Library. Please email Susan Mabile with your name, address, contact phone number, your child's name, age, and any medical issues no later than 12 noon on Friday, May 5th.

Annual Town Election

Voting doesn't end with Annual Town Meeting. Please come out on Thursday, May 11th in the Annual Town Election. Polls are open 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. at the Community Center, 702 Main Street.

In addition to elections of one Select Board Member, three Monomoy Regional School District Representatives, and one Chatham Housing Authority Member, there are four ballot questions. Questions 1-3 seek exemption from Proposition 2 1/2 for funding Article 18 - Center for Active Living, Article 27 - Transfer Station Improvements, and Article 28 - Replacement of Belt Filter Press at the wastewater Treatment Facility respectively. Question 4 seeks affirmation of amendments to the Town's Home Rule Charter passed by 2022 Annual Town Meeting.

Map of primary and secondary parking for 2023 Annual Town Meeting

Main Street Line Painting

Final line striping on Main Street in the area of the Eldredge Garage parking lot will take place on Monday, May 1st at 1:00 p.m. At least one travel lane will remain open to traffic during the striping operation.

Road Work for the week of May 1^st – May 5^th:

Water main work and sewer lateral work will continue on Mill Hill Road. Traffic will be limited to one lane of alternating traffic.

Sewer lateral work will begin on Middle Road. Police detail(s) will be in place to assist motorists.

Site work is expected to continue at Pump Station #3 on Meetinghouse Road.

Observation Deck Closure

The Observation Deck at the Municipal Fish Pier will be closed to the public from Friday, April 28^th to Friday, May 5^th due to the replacement of fenders around the Fish Pier Packing Building and the need to crane the material over the Packing Building,

Closure of the Observation Deck will allow the work to take place in a safe and efficient manner and avoid any risk to the public.

Further information will be provided based on the Contractor’s actual progress and the weather.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this important project to improve the Town’s infrastructure and improve public safety.

2023 Beach Information

Resident/Non-Resident Taxpayer beach stickers are currently available online for the 2023 season. Stickers will be mailed out beginning in mid-May.Visitor passes (daily, weekly, seasonal) will be available online beginning on June 1st. Resident/Non-resident taxpayer stickers and visitors passes are required June 23rd-September 3rd at Harding's Beach, Ridgevale Beach, Cockle Cove Beach. School House Pond parking is restricted to Resident/Non-Resident taxpayer stickers only. No sticker or pass required at Oyster Pond, Forest Beach Road, or Pleasant Street beaches.

Parking at the Lighthouse Beach overlook is restricted to 30 minutes. Passes for parking along Bridge Street to access Lighthouse Beach are required between July 1st and Labor Day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Any Resident/Non-resident taxpayer sticker (Beach, Transfer Station, Combination, Recycle, North Beach OSV) and visitor passes (same as obtained for any pay beach) are acceptable.

Paid parking with shuttle service to Lighthouse Beach is available at the Eldredge Garage parking lot, 365 Main Street. Parking fees are waived for vehicles with any valid Resident/Non-resident taxpayer sticker. The shuttle service runs to points on Main Street and to the Fish Pier as well!

Two square red flags with black squares in the center of each on a flagpole

Hurricane Preparedness Week

National Hurricane Preparedness Week is April 30-May 6, 2023 and there is no better time to begin preparations for hurricane season which begins on June 1^st. The first step is to Know your Zone!

Know Your Risk

Take the time to identify your own risks. Primary hazards from tropical cyclones, which include tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes are storm surge, flooding from heavy rain, destructive winds, tornadoes, and high surf and rip currents.

Search your property address in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Flood Maps of Town to see if you are at risk from coastal flooding. Storm surge can cause severe flooding in coastal areas and travel inland along bays and estuaries. The Community Development Department is available to assist you with questions about FEMA Flood-plain maps and the National Flood Insurance Program. Town staff can also assist you with:

Flood-plain property determinations
Advice on reducing flood damage to your property
Questions regarding Chatham's Flood Plain District and Conservancy District By-Laws
Questions regarding the flood-resistant construction requirements of the Massachusetts State Building Code.
Topographic maps and other GIS information

Heavy rain is another source of flooding and can occur anywhere. Extreme rain events can flood areas that aren’t normally prone to flooding. If you are aware of drainage issues on your property, address them.

Never attempt to drive through a flooded roadway. Depths of flooded areas are very difficult to judge, and you never know if there is a sinkhole, erosion, or other hazard lurking below the surface. Turn around, don’t drown. If you need to leave an area and find your way blocked by flooding, call 911. Chatham’s Fire Rescue Department and Harbormaster Division have the equipment and trained personnel to safely resolve the situation.

Winds from tropical systems, embedded thunderstorms, and potential tornadoes can cause damage to homes and other buildings. A visual inspection of your property should be made to identify potential risks from loose or missing roofing material, overhanging branches, or dead trees. If our area is under threat from a tropical system, please secure any outdoor objects that may become projectiles in high winds.

Wave action and rip currents can affect our shores from storms hundreds of miles away. A blue sky does not mean the ocean is safe. Heed all warnings from lifeguards and if heading to an unguarded beach, checkout our Surf Zone Forecast from the National Weather Service.

Cholesterol Screening

What is cholesterol and how does it affect your health? Get a free cholesterol test from a Public Health Nurse from the VNA of Cape Cod on Thursday, May 25th from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Center for Active Living, 193 Stony Hill Road.

The test includes a finger prick and on the spot results. Registration is required and may be completed by calling the VNA at 508-957-7423. The clinic is brought to you by the Chatham Council on Aging and the VNA of Cape Cod Public Health and Wellness Division.

Next Select Board Meeting - May 2, 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#.

I. Minutes

April 18, 2023

April 25, 2023

II. Public Announcements and Agenda Item Requests

III. Public Hearing

A. Utility Hearing; New Hand Hole, Fox Hill Road; Eversource Petition

IV. Drinking Water Testing and Pumping Update (Public Works Director Rob Faley)

V. Public Comments on Business Agenda

VI. Business Agenda (Board Discussion Items)

A. 2023 Annual Town Meeting Electronic Voting Demonstration

B. Request for Sales on Town Property/Outdoor Sale of Goods; Saturday, May 20, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m., Chatham Bars Avenue parking lot – Intergeneration Spring Fling Concert (Council on Aging Program and Communication Coordinator Jessica Rogers)

C. Request for Town Landing Special Use Permit Launch Service for the Stage Harbor Complex to shuttle boaters from various Town landings to/from their moorings (Andrew Buckley)

D. Affirm Bikeways Committee Recommendation; Update on naming on-road designated trail the “Scenic Bike Loop” (Public Works Director Rob Faley)

E. Private Road Easements for Public Water/Sewer/Drainage Facilities – Honeysuckle Lane; Atwood Lane; and Cedar Swamp Lane (Director of Natural Resources Dr. Robert Duncanson)

F. Representative Appointment – Cape Light Compact

G. Town Manager Evaluation – Calendar Year 2022/Fiscal Year 2023

H. Town Manager’s Report - Monthly Report – March 2023

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