Artist rendering of proposed upweller facility at 90 Bridge Street

Food Security Infrastructure Grant Award

The Town’s Department of Natural Resources has been awarded $730,620 in grant funds from the Healey-Driscoll Administration through the Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) program, an innovative and competitive grant program administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). The program is designed to support food security initiatives that provide more equitable access to locally grown, raised, harvested and caught foods by strengthening the local food supply chain.

The funds will be used to for the pumps, tanks, generator, pipes and fittings to equip the Town’s new shellfish upweller when it is relocated to 90 Bridge Street.

Director of Natural Resources Greg Berman said “Chatham’s shellfish propagation program is the backbone of our local shellfisheries. It sustains year-round livelihoods for commercial harvesters, supports affordable recreational harvesting for residents, and helps keep our coastal ecosystem productive and resilient.”

Updates on the 90 Bridge Street project are posted on the project’s webpage.

CFAL Building Working Group Named

Town Manager Jill Goldsmith has convened the Center for Active Living Building Working Group to work in conjunction with the project team to review and provide input on the development of the project’s final design plans. Owners Project Manager (OPM) Rick Pomroy (Pomroy Associates) serves as the Town’s project manager from design through construction; Architect/Designer Kurt Raber (Catalyst); and Town staff - Projects and Operations Administrator Terry Whalen and Director of Community Services Leah LaCross. Additional technical staff may attend meetings depending on the items scheduled for discussion.

The Working Group includes the following members:

Stuart Smith, Select Board Clerk
Pat Burke, Chair, Council on Aging Board of Directors
Robin Zibrat, Chair, Friends of Council on Aging
Bob Stello, Contractor/Developer
Stephen Daniel, Chair, Finance Committee

The Working Group’s first meeting will be held on Wednesday October 22, at 11 a.m. at the Town Office Annex, 261 George Ryder Road in the Small Meeting Room (lower level). A Teams Meeting Link is included for remote participation. The Working Group will comply with the provisions of the Open Meeting Law, and all meetings will be posted and recorded.

Three young men in suit jackets and ties standing next to an American flag

Devin Neilly, Joshua Sawyer, Brian Leahy

New Student Officer Recruits

Three Student Officer Recruits were sworn in on Thursday, October 16th in advance of their attendance at the Plymouth Police Academy beginning Monday, October 20th.

Upon successful completion of the Academy, Devin Neilly, Joshua Sawyer, and Brian Leahy will join the Chatham Police Department as Patrol Officers. Join us in wishing them the best of luck in their training and for long, safe, and successful careers.

Map of Oktoberfest venues and shuttle bus stop

Oktoberfest Tomorrow

The Chatham Chamber of Commerce and Merchant’s Association annual Oktoberfest begins at 11 a.m. tomorrow in Kate Gould Park and the parking lot adjacent to the Town Offices, 549 Main Street. There will be heavy pedestrian traffic in the downtown area. Please use additional caution when driving along Main Street.

The organizers are offering a shuttle service from the Chatham Elementary School and the Monomoy Regional Middle School with a convenient drop off point at the corner of Cross and Main Streets.

For a full schedule of events and to plan your day, visit the event’s webpage.

Irrigation Meter Fines

The Department of Public Works has begun issuing daily fines to property owners who have an irrigation system connected to the municipal water supply, who have registered the system with the Town, but who have failed to purchase and install a dedicated water meter for the system in violation of the Town of Chatham’s Water Rules and Regulations.

Property owners who receive fines are encouraged to contact the DPW at 508-945-5155 as soon as possible to arrange the purchase of the second meter and avoid additional penalties.

A small model house next to 3 stacks of coins with Scrabble tiles spelling tax on top of them

Tax Bills Due November 3rd

Payments for the first installment of FY2026 Real Estate and Personal Property tax bills are due by 4 p.m. on November 3rd.

Payments may be made by US Mail, or in-person at the Treasurer/Collector’s office or drop box at 549 Main Street.

Online payments can be made through the Town of Chatham’s website through City Hall Systems.

Contributions to the newly established Taxation Aid Fund may be made in the designated space on your real estate tax bill or via online payment.

Please take note: the residential exemption is not in effect for the current tax season.

Cape Light Compact Home Energy Assessment information

Wellness Weekly

Chatham’s Health Division is kicking off Wellness Weekly, a series to highlight resources that support your mental well-being.

This week, we’re focusing on flourishing and languishing. Our free mental health platform Credible Mind offers practical tools, tips, and guidance to help manage everyday challenges.

Psychologists tell us there are at least two parts to mental health—mental illness and flourishing. It’s possible to not have a mental illness and still feel like you’re languishing, or your life is missing something. So, how are you doing? Take an assessment and learn more at https://lowercape.crediblemind.com/topics/flourishing.

Seasonal Restroom Closures

The public restrooms behind the Community Center have closed for the season.

The restrooms at Oyster Pond will close on Monday, December 1st. The restrooms at Kate Gould Park, the Eldredge Garage and Stage Harbor Road parking lots will remain open until January 1st. The restrooms at the rear of the Town Offices at 549 Main Street remain open year-round.

Select Board members seated at the dais in the large meeting room

Select Board Action – October 14th

The Select Board granted a new annual entertainment license to the Chatham Orpheum Theater to allow for live performances throughout the year.

Director of Public Works Rob Faley provided an update on the Town’s drinking water wells for the month of September 2025. He noted the sales of second irrigation meters and thanked his administrative staff for managing their increased workload. He noted that despite recent rains the groundwater levels remain at considerably low levels.

The Board granted a Special One Day Alcohol permit to Theresa Malone as a representative of Monomoy Community Services for Chatham Cookware, 524 Main Street, which will be a stop on the Annual Witches Walk on October 25th.

Superintendent Scott Carpenter, Monomoy Regional School District, said that the School Committee is asking Chatham and Harwich to re-open the Regional School Agreement to consider amendments. He said per the Agreement the School Committee reviews it every 5 years. He reviewed the conditions under which the Agreement may be opened and the Annual Town Meeting votes required to accept any amendments, which would then need to be approved by the Department of Education. He discussed the circumstances that led to the last opening of the Regional Agreement. He noted the perceived fiscal challenges to the Town of Harwich, and he suggested the School District’s financial team work with the financial teams of the two towns to look at projections and develop approaches that may make sense to consider. The financial calculations used in the Commonwealth for school budgeting were reviewed.

The Board, acting as Water & Sewer Commissioners, approved a request from the Town of Harwich for additional sewer flow for the Great Sand Lakes Sewer Extension project. The request fell within the parameters set out in the Wastewater Intermunicipal Agreement (IMA) that both towns have agreed to uphold.

The Board approved recommended amendments to the Town of Harwich Sewer Rules and Regulations as required by the Wastewater IMA. The recommended changes were noted in the Select Board’s meeting information packet. The IMA Advisory Board and Chatham’s Water and Sewer Advisory Committee both recommended approval of the amendments.

The Select Board reviewed the Seasonal Communities Draft Regulations and directed staff to draft a letter of comment to the State reflective of the Board’s discussion including the inclusion of commercial fishermen and healthcare workers as designated classes, an extension to the time municipalities have to implement zoning changes to allow tiny homes, and to amend the definition of undersized lots. The Board requested that Town Counsel review the regulations and letter of comment.

Select Board member Shareen Davis proposed the Town consider a “Lease to Locals” financial incentive program for property owners to convert seasonal rental properties or secondary homes to year-round rentals. Similar programs offered in other Cape towns were reviewed. The options for funding the incentive were discussed.

The Board approved the Town Manger’s appointment of Clifford & Kenny as the Town’s labor counsel.

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

Buried in Treasures course begins Novemeber 18

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

Upcoming Public Hearing

The Select Board will hold the following public hearings during their regularly scheduled meetings on Tuesdays, beginning at 5:00 p.m., in the large meeting room at the Town Office Annex, 261 George Ryder Road.

October 28

To consider a petition from NStar Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy to install one (1) new pole 41/30-5 at Training Field Road and 50 feet plus or minus 4 inches conduit under Training Field Road to accommodate the new Town water treatment facility.

Comedy Night at the Orpheum!

Longtime New England headliners Mike Donovan and Bob Niles join host Jim Ruberti as comedy comes to the Chatham Orpheum Theater, 637 Main Street, on Thursday, October 23rd.

Presented by Scamps Comedy, the show is one of three professional comedy shows scheduled at the theater during the fall, winter and spring seasons. Material is suitable for adults over 21.

Showtime is at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25. To purchase tickets and for more information on the featured comics and other upcoming special events visit the Theater’s webpage.

Next Select Board Meeting - October 21, 2025 @ 5:00 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#.

14th Annual Town of Chatham Budget Summit

Fiscal Year 2027 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027)

Select Board – Department Heads - Finance Committee –Monomoy Regional School District

FY2027 “Navigating the Fiscal Year Ahead”

The Budget Summit on October 21, 2025, will mark the formal start of the Fiscal Year 2027 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027) budget review process. This will be our 14th year of Budget Summits, conducted in collaboration with Department Heads, the Select Board, the Finance Committee, and the Monomoy Regional School District Committee. Since first initiated in 2012, the outcomes we hope to achieve by the Summit include:

· Enhance understanding of the Town’s financial condition

· Identify emerging challenges before they become critical

· Identify existing issues requiring correction

· Review service and funding priorities and present a comprehensive assessment of our strengths and weaknesses

· Discuss long-range considerations in conjunction with the annual budget review process

AGENDA

I. Anchoring our Priorities – Laying the groundwork for the decisions that will guide us through the year ahead

A. Select Board Goals and Budgetary Objectives

II. Overview of the Current FY2026 Budget; "Staying the Course”

A. Budget Components

B. FY2026 Recap

III. FY2027 Budget Revenue Projections

IV. FY2027 Budget and Three-Year Operating Budget Expense Forecast

A. FY2027 Budget Forecast – Reviewing Past Performance and Forecast Between FY2023 – FY2029

i. FY2027 Budget Factors

ii. From Line Item to Outcome: Department Perspectives on Funding Impact

a. Department of Natural Resources

b. Information Technologies

iii. Community Priorities/Initiatives

B. Water Revenues and Operating Budget

V. FY2027 – FY2031 Capital Improvement Plan/Program/Projects

A. Potential 2026 Annual Town Meeting Articles

B. Monomoy Regional School District/Chatham Elementary School

C. Community Priorities/Initiatives

VI. Debt Service

A. Forecasts and Schedules

VII. Understanding Overlay

VIII. Recommendations/Reports Received

A. Finance Committee (https://www.chatham-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8415/Finance-Committee-Preliminary-FY2026-Budget-Recommendations-and-Report-to-the-Select-Board-PDF)

B. S&P Bond Rating (AAA) April 23, 2025 (https://www.chatham-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8658/Standard--Poors-Bond-Rating-2025-PDF)

IX. Navigating Forward with the FY2027 Budget

A. Shared Priorities and Fiscal Outlook Discussion

B. Budget Review Process/Directives/Calendar

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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