Welcome to the Team!

This week we welcome Sawyer Bengston as our newest Department Assistant in the Department of Public Works.

Mr. Bengston holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Endicott College. After college, he worked as a project manager and administrative assistant for Farrell Electric, Inc in Eastham. While in college, he held several student internship positions with New York Life Insurance Company, MassPay HR & Payroll Solutions and Cape Cod Wealth Strategies & Employment Solutions. He has also worked as a Golf Course Assistant at Captain’s Golf Course during the summer from 2016-2020.

Mr. Bengston is a life-long Cape Cod resident and grew up in Brewster, where he currently resides.

Daylight Savings Time Ends November 5 Change your clocks

Chatham Fire Truck door with reflection of turnout gear

Fire Department Training

Chatham's Fire Department will be conducting training exercises at 2151 and 2517 Main Street between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on various days through Friday, November 17th.

This creative training opportunity is a result of the Department's partnership with local contractors to work with homeowners to gain approval to use structures scheduled for demolition for training.

Exercises will include a variety of firefighting skills including roof ventilation, hoseline attachment, search and rescue, and forcible entry. A smoke generation machine will be used to create realistic training conditions. The artificial smoke is non-toxic posing no harmful effects to health or the environment. The structures are minimally visible from Main Street and there are no anticipated disruptions to traffic and the activity should not pose a distraction to motorists.

Chatham Chowder Fest at VFW on Saturday November 4, 3:30 -7:30 p.m.

Online Communications Survey

We want to hear from you about the ways you prefer to receive information about your municipal government.

Please take our Community Communications Survey and help us improve our efforts to keep you up-to-date and well informed about projects, services, events, and issues that impact our community.

The survey is open until 4 p.m. on Friday, December 8th. Thank you for your input!

Sewer Construction Update

November 6th - 10th

Continued loaming of roadway shoulders is expected on Meetinghouse Road, Middle Road, the Old Colony Rail Trail (bike path) between the Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) and Meetinghouse Road, Lime Hill Road, and Balfour Lane.

Continued site work at Pump Station #3 (Meetinghouse Road) and Pump Station #4 (Twine Field Drive) is tentatively expected.

No work expected on Crowell Road.

Site work at the Queen Anne Pump Station site (40 Queen Anne Road; south side of Queen Anne Road and Oyster Pond Furlong intersection) is tentatively expected.

Veterans Day Ceremony November 11 at 11 a.m. at the Community Center

Town Offices Closed November 10th

In observance of the Veterans Day holiday on Saturday, November 11th Town Offices and the Community Center will be closed on Friday, November 10th. Community Center is open regular hours on Saturday, November 11th. The Transfer Station will operate regular hours on both Friday and Saturday.

Monument to Wilfred Berube founder of Chatham Municipal Airport with his picture next to it

Celebrating National Aviation Month

November is Aviation History Month!

In addition to the Monomoyick people, William Nickerson, and countless mariners and fishermen, the weavers of Chatham’s rich historical tapestry also include pioneers in flight.

Wilfred Berube can rightfully be remembered as the Founding Father of aviation in Chatham. He came to Town as a chauffeur and mechanic in the employment of Joseph Shattuck who had built a summer home here around 1910.

Berube enlisted in the US Army Signal Corps in 1918 and was trained as an aviation mechanic. Upon his discharge in 1919, he returned to work for the Shattuck family at their permanent residence in Rye, NY. A busy airport operation sprung up in nearby Armonk, NY in the mid-1920s and by 1929 Berube had earned his pilot’s license and bought his first airplane which was fitted with seaplane floats and was flown to Chatham. Berube operated the plane out of Mill Pond and Oyster Pond that summer.

Also in the summer of 1929, some enterprising pilots dropped passengers at a clearing off George Ryder Road. Berube took notice and, seeing the potential of the property, bought the 72-acre parcel which he cleared and developed into an airfield which, by the mid-1930s became a popular landing site for affluent sportsmen coming to Town.

Over the next 20 years, excepting a four-year period during World War II when all private flying within a 50 mile-wide strip along all US coastlines was banned by the government, Berube shuttled fishermen out to the beach, took countless people up for their first airplane ride, and introduced the area’s youth to airplanes and flying.

In 1949 Berube offered the airport to the Town for a dollar. Between that time and 1951, with funding from state and federal governments the runway was paved and lighted and officially dedicated as Chatham Municipal Airport.

Berube’s legacy lives on at the Airport today with sightseeing rides over the coastline, spotter planes working in tandem with fishermen, individuals of all ages earning their wings, and the community coming together to celebrate “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” at the annual open house in June.

Upcoming Public Hearings

The Select Board will hold public hearings during their regular Tuesday evening meetings, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the large meeting room at the Town Office Annex, 261 George Ryder Road:

November 7th

To consider a petition from NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy to install one (1) handhole, 43/H4A and 39' +/- of 3" conduit to provide upgraded underground service to the customer at 44 Highland Avenue.

November 14th

To consider the placement of new traffic signs:

New Stop Signs and Stop Bars on Forest Beach Road Extension at the intersection with Woodland Road and on Forest Beach Road Extension at the intersection with Forest Beach Road.

New Safe Bicycle Passing signs on Crowell Road, east side near Chatham Drama Guild; Old Queen Anne Road, west of Skyline Drive; Ridgevale Road, west side in wooded area; Forest Beach Road, west side in vicinity of #48; Cedar Street, west side in vicinity of crosswalk; Cockle Cove Road, west side in vicinity of #30; Champlain Road, west of Windy Hill Road; Stage Harbor Road, across from Cedar Swamp Road; Bridge Street, easy side in vicinity of conservation pull off; Main Street, east side in vicinity of Holway Street; Main Street, downtown in vicinity of Eldredge Garage Parking lot; Shore Road, east side in vicinity of Wilkey Way; Barcliff Avenue, north side in vicinity of Shore Road; Barcliff Avenue, south side in vicinity of Tipcart Drive; and Pleasant Street, west side in vicinity of #68.

November 28th

To consider a petition from Verizon New England, Inc. and NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy to upgrade three (3) existing poles - 47/30,47/31, 47/32 - with associated storm guying on the west side of Morris Island Road, and install three (3) new poles - 47/30A, 47/31A, 47/32A - with associated guyingalong the east side of Morris Island Road to support the existing poles.

Family Paint Day at the Community Center November 19 2-4 p.m.

Is Volunteering "Fore" You?

Chatham's Golf Advisory Committee is looking for a new member! If you enjoy the game and want to be of the group that advises the Select Board of any needed improvements, maintenance issues, or complaints received at Seaside Links, please fill out an application online. This Committee meets on the third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Center.

Two cartoon Turkeys wearing Pilgrim hats

Turkey Trot Registration

Registration is ongoing for the annual Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot 5K Fun Run/Walk to benefit Lower Cape Outreach!

Register between November 4th - 17th for $35 per person before the fee goes up from November 18th - 22nd to $40 per person.

Pick-up of registration packages will be at Marathon Sports, Yarmouth on November 20th & 21st from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at the Chatham Community Center on November 22nd from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Don't miss this traditional event to start your holiday off on the right foot! Register today!

Next Select Board Meeting - November 7, 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

October 31, 2023

II. Introduction of new Director of Finance Carrie Mazerolle – Town Manager Jill Goldsmith

III. Public Announcements and Agenda Item Requests

IV. Public Hearings

A. Utility Hearing: Handhole & Conduit Highland Avenue (Eversource Energy)

V. Drinking Water Testing and Pumping Update for September and October – Director of Public Works Rob Faley

VI. Public Comments on Business Agenda

VII. Business Agenda (Board Discussion Items)

A. Consider Approval of Change to Turkey Trot Staging Area, November 23, 2023 – Katie Wibby

B. Consider Approval of Sales on Town Property; 16th Annual Holiday Shopping Fair at the Community Center – Community Services Deputy Director for Recreation and Beaches Aimee Howell

C. Special One-Day Alcohol Permits

1. Sundance Clothing at 497 Main Street on December 8, 2023 from 2 p.m. – 11 p.m. – April Cabral

2. Chatham Clothing Bar at 534 Main Street on December 8, 2023 from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. – Coco Moran

3. If The Shoe Fits at 442 Main Street on November 24, 2023 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and on December 8, 2023 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. – Ceci Hadawar

4. Chatham Paint and Hardware at 624 Main Street on December 8, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Paul Fox

D. Consider Approvals for Road Closure; Use of Town Property; Christmas Stroll – Kristin Muller

E. Fish Pier Project Easement – Dr. Bob Duncanson

F. Fishermen’s Storage Area Update and Consider Policy for Usage

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