Last Call!

Mooring and Mooring Waitlist renewals are due to the Harbormaster's Office by close of business (4 p.m.) on Tuesday, December 31st!

Happy New Year, Chatham!

A message from Town Manager Jill Goldsmith

As we welcome 2025, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to our entire community for all we have accomplished over the past year. Together, we have accomplished so much - from the progress we have made toward addressing housing challenges, to hosting volunteer powered events like Oktoberfest and First Night, to supporting our friends at Larry’s PX , Chatham is a shining example of collaboration, resilience, and shared spirit, and I am honored to serve as your Town Manager.

This year brings new opportunities to continue to strengthen the connections between your local government, residents, and business, and to celebrate together this special place that we are so fortunate to call home.

As we step into the new year, I encourage everyone to continue to support one another, cherish our history and traditions, and embrace the possibilities ahead. Thank you for your partnership, trust, and dedication to making Chatham a wonderful community for all.

Map of area around Veterans Field showing parking restrictions for New Year's Eve fireworks

Parking restrictions for First Night fireworks display.

First Night Road Closures, Detours & Parking Restrictions

The annual Town photo will once again be taken at 12 noon on the front lawn of Coast Guard Station Chatham. Please arrive early as there will be road closures and detours in the immediate area before the event.

The east end of Main Street and some adjoining roads will be closed for the Carnival Caper Road Race which starts outside of the Chatham Squire at 3 p.m. (Registration begins at 2 p.m.) Participants run, walk, hop, skip, and/or sashay approximately 2 miles to Chatham Light and back. Some area streets will be detoured in advance of the race start, so again, arrive early and be aware that parking is limited in the immediate area.

The west end of Main Street will close, and several side streets will be detoured to accommodate the Noise Parade which begins at 6 p.m. at the intersection of Main and Cross Street and travels west through the rotary to the Community Center.

The Noise Parade leads participants to the Community Center and Veterans Field for the fireworks display. Due to safety concerns and Fire Department access, there will be no pedestrian or vehicle traffic allowed in front of the Fire Station along Depot Road from Hitching Post Road to the Chatham Elementary School entrance. Any chairs, blankets, etc. placed in this area will be removed by Town staff. Additionally, Hitching Post Road will be closed to vehicular traffic from Old Academy Road to Depot Road. Parking restrictions will be in place along Depot Road and Hitching Post Road and will be strictly enforced.

Downtown will be crowded with revelers on Tuesday, please use additional caution when driving through the area. Please adhere to instructions from public safety personnel.

Man dressed as a Train Conductor standing outside the Chatham Railroad Museum

Railroad Museum Open for First Night

Before the new year begins, step back in time and explore the Chatham Railroad Museum, exhibits and historic caboose.

The Railroad Museum, 153 Depot Road, will be a button-free option for First Night participants from 1 – 4 p.m. on December 31st. Museum volunteers will be operating an “O” gauge train and a special train exhibiting all First Night Chatham buttons will be on display.

January Flash TV

Take a break from the post-holiday/pre-holiday bustle and sit down with Anna Milan, Program and Communications Coordinator for the Department of Community Services, to learn about the programs offered at the Center for Active Living and the Community Center next month with the January edition of Flash TV.

Also featured is a discussion with Alexis Weglarz, recently promoted to Department Coordinator at the Center for Active Living, about her connection to the community and her new role and duties.

Public restrooms located on the back of the Town Offices at 549 Main Street

Public Restrooms Closing for Renovation

Starting shortly after New Year’s Day, the public restrooms behind the Town Offices at 549 Main Street will close for renovations to address identified ADA access improvements. The work area will be cordoned off by a construction area perimeter fence restricting pedestrian and vehicle access behind Town Hall for most of January 2025 through the end of April 2025. The construction fence will close direct access behind the building from both the Cross Street curb cut and the 549 Main Street parking lot.

The public restrooms in the Stage Harbor Road parking lot (behind the Orpheum Theater) will remain open from during the construction and public restrooms are available in the Community Center and at the Municipal Fish Pier during regular operating hours.

Revised schematics of the proposed renovations of the Center for Active Living

Public Forum on Proposed Center for Active Living Renovations

The Select Board and Council on Aging Board of Trustees will hold a joint meeting on January 7th at 5:30 p.m. in the large meeting room at the Town Office Annex, 261 George Ryder Road, to receive the final presentation of the draft feasibility study to renovate the Center for Active Living (CFAL) and to hear input from the community in a Public Forum following the presentation.

Kurt Rayber, owner/partner at Catalyst Architecture/Interiors Inc., will present revised schematics and cost estimates based on the feed back received to previous presentations on the study held on March 18, 2024 and June 25, 2024. Plans, schematics, and cost estimates are posted to the project’s webpage for the public’s review in advance of the Forum.

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 beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the large meeting room at the Town Office Annex, 261 George Ryder Road.

January 14th

To consider a petition from Verizon New England Inc. and NSTAR Electric d/b/a Eversource Energy to place one (1) jointly owned pole, P.30.25, on the northerly side of Main Street to a point approximately 60' northwesterly from existing pole, P.30.50, and to a point approximately 37' southeasterly from existing pole. P.30. This additional pole is necessary to upgrade services for 365 Main Street.

To consider a petition from Verizon New England Inc and NSTAR Electric d/b/a Eversource Energy to install one (1) JO pole P.14.5 on the westerly side of George Ryder Road (approximately 246 George Ryder Road) to a point approximately forty-one (41) feet northeasterly of existing pole, P.14.

To consider the installation of one additional stop sign with reflective tape on the pole to be placed on the opposite corner of the existing stop sign on Sam Ryder Road at its intersection with Main Street/Route 28.

To consider the transfer of the Annual All Alcoholic Beverages hotel license from Inn Partners LLC d/b/a The Inn at 359 Main, Jeff Ippoliti, Manager, to Chatham Inn Partners LLC d/b/a Chatham Inn, Adam Votaw, Manager, for the business located at 359 Main Street.

All interested parties are encouraged to participate in-person or through the link in the posted agenda.

Volunteer Orientation at the Center for Active Living on January 22 at 11 a.m.

The Council on Aging Runs on Volunteers!

The Council on Aging will hold a new volunteer orientation on Wednesday, January 22nd, at 11 a.m. at the Center for Active Living, 193 Stony Hill Road.

Interested volunteers will receive a Volunteer Handbook, fill out necessary paperwork, tour the facility, and receive a comprehensive presentation on policies, procedures and other pertinent information.

Email Anna Milan or call 774-701-0503 to sign-up.

Second Saturday Story Hour at Eldredge Public Library

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

Sewer Construction Update

December 30th – January 3rd - No Work on January 1st

Morton/Meetinghouse Road Sewer Extension Project

Site work will Continue at Pump Station #3 (Meetinghouse Road) and Pump Station #4 (Twine Field Drive).

Stage Harbor Road Sewer Extension Project

Continued site work is expected at the pumping station site (Old Mill Boat Yard/Harbormasters Garage).

Mill Pond Pump Station

Sewer work will continue on Mill Pond Road. Road closures are expected for Mill Pond Road and Homestead Lane, local traffic only. Police detail(s) will be on-site to assist motorists. Work associated with the Mill Pond Pumping Station will close access to the Town Landing.

Oyster Pond Sewer Extension Project

Sewer and water work will commence on Pond View West. Access will be limited; police detail(s) will be on-site to assist residents.

Next Select Board Meeting - January 7, 2025 @ 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!

Subscribe to The Mainsheet

Subscribe today to have the latest issue of The Mainsheet delivered directly to your inbox each week! Sign-up through Notify Me! by entering your email address and clicking on the envelope icon next to the "Government" subscription list.