With Thanks

January 9th marks the annual observance of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.

On this day we recognize and thank all of the men and women who protect and serve our community as members of Chatham's Police Department.

Additionally, we would like to congratulate Chief Michael Anderson and share with a bittersweet sense of appreciation that he has announced his upcoming retirement from the Town of Chatham. His last day of service will be July 22, 2026.

Chief Anderson has dedicated 30 years of service to law enforcement, including the past four years as Police Chief. Throughout his career in Chatham, he has been committed to protecting our community with integrity, courage, and compassion. As Chief, he led with professionalism and a deep sense of responsibility to both the public and the officers and staff he serves alongside

Wanted: 2026 Parade Theme

The Chatham Independence Day Parade Committee (IDPC) has just the thing to prevent the winter blues. It’s time to trade that wool beanie for a thinking cap and help shape history—Chatham style—by proposing a theme for the 2026 Chatham Independence Day Parade!

With just over six months to go, the IDPC is calling on the community to help craft a theme that captures the spirit of Chatham during a truly milestone year. 2026 marks the 250^th Birthday of the United States, and while we can’t promise powdered wigs or quill pens, we can promise a parade worthy of the occasion—Chatham style.

For more than a century, Chatham has proudly marched to themes ranging from last year’s “Seasons of Chatham” to “Saluting the Stars and Stripes” to “Chatham Goes Hollywood” (spoiler alert: still no actual movie stars). This could be the year your idea joins that proud lineup—and becomes part of Chatham’s own parade history.

The IDPC will select the winning theme based on its relevance to Chatham, the parade, America’s Semiquincentennial, and the people who make our community special. So, dust off those revolutionary ideas and submit your best red-white-and-blue theme suggestion by February 18, 2026. The winner will earn the honor of serving as one of this year’s parade judges.

The committee looks forward to your entries—and to another fabulous parade as Chatham celebrates 250 years of American independence in true hometown fashion.

Submit your theme idea at: www.chathamparade.com by February 18th, and don’t forget to Include a brief description explaining why your theme will make Chatham's parade the most talked-about event since... well, last year’s parade!

Select Board Action – January 6th

The Select Board approved changes to the Manager of Record and individuals with Stock Interest in the Annual All Alcoholic Beverages Package Store license for New Chatham Corp. dba Chatham Liquor Store for the business located at 756 Main Street.

The Select approved Special One Day licenses for Alcohol and Entertainment for the 2026 Blessing of the Fleet event hosted by the Women of Fishing Families at the Municipal Fish Pier on Sunday, May 31st and a Special One Day license for Alcohol for a community supper sponsored by the South Chatham Public Library at the South Chatham Village Hall on Saturday, January 31st.

The Select Board estimated Chatham’s seasonal population on July 10, 2026 will be 33,000. The estimate is required by the State’s Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.

The Select Board amended their Goals and Objectives, including its vision statement for the Town in 2030, to include input from Clerk Stuart Smith who joined the Board in May 2025.

The Select Board acknowledged receipt of Thank You letters from families participating in the Dr. Florence Seldin Preschool Family Support program attending the Rocking Unicorn Nursery School.

The public is encouraged to watch the meeting in its entirety through Chatham TVs on-demand archive.

Winter Wildlife Sightings

From Conservation Agent Paul Wightman

It is not unusual to see red foxes during the daytime in January, as this is their mating and denning season. Dens are often located on southerly exposures on hillsides and banks. You may often pass right past a fox den on a hiking trail and not even notice it. At this time of year, females require more food to support milk production, so foxes may hunt more frequently and during daylight hours.

Red foxes grow a denser coat in winter. This thicker fur helps insulate them against cold temperatures and is not only functional but also visually striking.

When fox pups are born in late winter or early spring, they are blind, helpless, and completely dependent on the female’s milk until they grow large enough to be gradually weaned. Males will do most of the hunting while the pups are still nursing. As they grow you may see fox pups playing at the entrance to a den in late March, April, and May. The pups often do not exhibit fear of humans. At that point, they are fed solid food, usually prey such as rabbits, small mammals, mice, meadow voles, and birds which is often carried whole and intact back to the den for the pups to eat.

Red foxes are excellent bird predators. Among the canine species, they possess one of the highest and most remarkable hunting abilities, including keen hearing that allows them to detect birds and other prey. Red foxes can hear bird calls from distances as far as three-quarters of a mile. This remarkable hearing allows them to detect high-pitched sounds, which are essential for locating prey, even when they are hidden or at a distance. Their hearing is so acute that they can detect mice up to three feet beneath snow or underground. They are also very patient hunters. They will stock their prey for some time before pouncing or jumping in the air to catch it.

Daytime sightings of red fox in winter are not unusual and does not necessarily mean a fox is sick or has rabies. However, signs that may indicate illness include unusual aggression, approaching humans or pets, disorientation, confusion, staggering while walking, or excessive salivation around the mouth. If these behaviors are observed, the person who made the sighting should contact Chatham Animal Control at 508-945-5111.

Cape Cod Bridges Project Open House

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will host a recreation open house regarding the replacement of the Cape Cod Bridges at the Bournedale Elementary School Gymnasium, 41 Ernest Valeri Road, Bourne, on Tuesday, January 20th, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The purpose of this recreation open house is to initiate the public notice and comment period required by Section 4(f) of the DOT Act regarding "direct use" of parks and recreation properties, share information and graphics regarding potential wayfinding signage, and provide an update on the status of the project, bridge design, roadway approaches, and multimodal accommodations. MassDOT will receive and consider public comments at the open house.

The project proposes a "direct use" of Bourne Scenic Park, Sagamore Recreation Area, Bourne Recreation Area, Gallo Ice Arena, and Keith Field Recreation Area. MassDOT intends to make a determination that use of these properties constitutes a "de minimis" impact because the work will not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes that make these properties eligible for protection under Section 4(f) of the DOT Act.

Public comments on this matter are welcome and should be submitted within 2 weeks of the open house. Comments should be submitted via the Project's online comment form, submitted via email to luisa.paiewonsky@dot.state.ma.us, or mailed to Luisa Paiewonsky, Executive Director, Megaprojects Delivery Office, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 4160, Boston, MA 02116.

To sign up to receive program updates please visit: http://tiny.cc/CapeCodProgramSub. For more information on the program please visit the program web site: https://www.mass.gov/cape-bridges. Please feel free to extend this meeting invitation to others that may have an interest in attending. In the interim, please use the Program's comment form for any questions or concerns at: http://tiny.cc/CapeCodProgramCF.

Candlelight Concert at the Orpheum

Glass Artists, a dynamic quartet featuring top young performers from the world’s leading conservatories, will bring a repertoire bridging classical tradition and contemporary influences to the Chatham Orpheum Theater for a one-night-only concert on Thursday, January 15th at 6 p.m.

This candlelit concert, part of the Cape Symphony Presents series, offers an evening of warmth, brilliance and extraordinary ensemble playing to our community. Tickets are $45 per person and are available through the Orpheum’s website.