CFAL Building Working Group Report

The Select Board held an additional meeting on Wednesday, December 3rd to consider the recommendation from the Center for Active Living (CFAL) Building Working Group on proposed renovations to the facility.

The CFAL Building Working Group was established by Town Manager Jill Goldsmith in October after project costs were estimated above the $5 million appropriated at the 2025 Annual Town Meeting for the project. Its members include Stuart Smith, Clerk, Select Board; Rob Stello, Contractor/Developer; Pat Burke, Chair, Council on Aging Board; Stephen Daniel, Chair, Finance Committee; and Robin Zibrat, President, Friends of the Council on Aging.         

In her opening remarks Town Manager Goldsmith thanked the Working Group members for the time, expertise, and care they invested in their effort and for their collaboration with the project team. She said their work strengthened the project and set the foundation for the decisions ahead.

Owner’s Project Manager Rick Pomroy, Pomroy Associates, reviewed the progress on the project since the Annual Town Meeting, noting that the appropriation was made based on conceptual drawings. He said construction level plans were developed and construction estimates were sought based on the detailed plans. These estimates were received at $2.5 million over the Town Meeting appropriation. He said the project team value engineered the plans and were able to bring estimates on the adjusted plans to $5.98 million. When the Select Board reviewed the adjusted plans there was concern that some elements removed from the project negatively affected the functionality of the facility. He said the CFAL Building Working Group was created to ensure the completed facility functioned well as a Center for Active Living.

Rob Stello, Stello Construction and member of the Working Group, reviewed the elements the Working Group felt were important to include in the final design including removal of columns, use of resilient materials for the building’s envelope, renovation of the kitchen and rear ramp access. Site plans include separation of the parking area from the adjacent condominium complex.

The progression of the budget through the development process was reviewed and a project schedule was discussed.

Kurt Raber, Catalyst Architecture, reviewed the current floor plans and exterior elevations.

A proposal to extend the municipal sewer lines to the property rather than upgrading the Title 5 septic system was discussed.

After hearing from Director of Finance Carrie Mazerolle on her recommendation for financing the additional costs for the project through a one year capital exclusion article at the 2026 Annual Town Meeting, the Board agreed to continue the project with the bid in hand approach and voted to support and endorse her recommendation.

The Board further voted to direct staff to develop an article for consideration at 2026 Annual Town Meeting to extend the sewer lines to the property for consideration and to authorize the CFAL Building Working Group to continue to work on public education, promotion and engagement with the community on the project.

The meeting may be viewed in its entirety through Chatham TV's on demand archive.

Christmas by the Sea Weekend

The Chatham Chamber of Commerce and Merchant’s Association’s annual Christmas by the Sea weekend will be held Friday, December 12th through Sunday, December 14th.

The celebration kicks off on Friday with the children’s light parade down Main Street from the Community Center to Sears Park for the tree lighting ceremony. Activities including free horse and carriage rides and visits with Santa at his temporary workshop at the Information Booth continue through the evening.

Saturday features two seatings for Breakfast with Santa at the Wild Goose Tavern (8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m., tickets required), a special screening of the Polar Express at the Orpheum Theater (9:30 a.m., tickets required), drop-in visits with Santa at his workshop (1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.) and live performances along Main Street (2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.).

Enjoy the holiday decorations and weekend specials offered by local merchants on Sunday.

558 Crowell Road For Sale by Lottery

Applications are still being accepted by the Housing Assistance Corp. (HAC) for the sale by lottery of a three-bedroom two-bath home at 558 Crowell Road for $385,000.   Applications to enter the lottery can be requested by emailing lotteries@haconcapecod.org. The house will be permanently deed restricted at 100% Area Median Income (AMI).

Applications are due to HAC by 5 p.m. on Monday, December 15th.

For further information, including income and asset limits, visit the property’s page on the HAC website.

First Night Buttons Available

Join the Fun! At First Night Chatham’s 35th New Year’s Eve celebration.

Buttons required for admission to almost all indoor performances and activities are on sale now. Buttons are available for purchase online through First Night Chatham’s website. Until December 16th buttons may be shipped to your home or held for pick-up at First Night Chatham’s Headquarters. After the 16th, only pick-up is available. Adult (17+) buttons are $30, Children’s (3-16 years) are $5. No admission for infants 2 years or younger. A small handling charge is added to all online button orders.

Buttons may also be purchased by cash or check at the following locations:

Cape Cod Five (Chatham Branch), 548 Main Street, Chatham

Chatham Clothing Bar, 534 Main Street, Chatham

Chatham Orpheum Theater, 637 Main Street, Chatham

Chatham Paint & Hardware, 624 Main Street, Chatham

Harwich Paint & Decorating, 181 Rte. 137, East Harwich

North Chatham Outfitters, 300 Orleans Road, North Chatham

Puritan Cape Cod (Chatham Branch), 573 Main Street, Chatham

Shop Ahoy Liquors, 1589 Main Street, West Chatham

Snow’s Home & Garden, 22 Main Street, Orleans

Select Board Action – December 2nd

The Select Board, through the use approval of a Consent Agenda, approved renewals of annual liquor licenses and requests for temporary winter closures from Chatham Cheese Company, Mom & Pops Burgers, and Knots Landing Restaurant.

Director of Natural Resources Greg Berman updated the Board on the studies for preservation of salt marshes in Chatham. He said the Center for Coastal Studies completed the first study of four salt marshes in 2024. He said the Energy and Climate Action Committee (ECAC) has developed a supplemental report to accompany the study.  A second phase of study on nine remaining saltmarshes in Town has been initiated. He introduced Gerry Stahl, ECAC,  who provided the Committee’s report on the results of the four salt marshes in South and West Chatham.

The report projects 62% of these marshes could be lost to sea level rise by 2100 and provided predictions of where future marsh migration could occur. The nine additional salt marshes in Town will be studied by the Center for Coastal Studies in 2026.

Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Justin Tavano discussed the process the Town’s Emergency Management team undertakes in advance of weather events. He noted the differences between a personal care site and an overnight shelter including the elements required for a facility to qualify as each. He noted that Chatham has adopted the regional shelter approach and discussed the decision-making process at the county level for opening a regional shelter. He recommended the Town continue to provide personal care sites locally and participate in the regional shelter system with its partners.

It was suggested that the Middle School could accommodate a local shelter, but Chief Tavano noted that there is no full building generator at the school.

Police Chief Mike Anderson noted the Special Assistance and Reassurance Programs available to residents. A motion was made for the Town to develop an alternative plan to the regional shelter system, but it was defeated on a vote of 3-2. The Board voted 4-0-1 to endorse the recommendation of the Town’s Emergency Management team to continue to provide personal care sites locally and participate in the regional shelter system with its partners.

The Board approved the successor employment agreement with Finance Director Carrie Mazerolle dated July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029.

The Board elevated Timothy Gilmore to full member of the Historic Business District Commission until June 30, 2026 and re-appointed Dan Sylver as an Alternate member until June 30, 2026.

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

Public Input Sought

CC Metropolitan Planning Organization

Every four years, the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration are required to review the metropolitan transportation planning process conducted by the Cape Cod Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority public transportation, and local municipal partners in order to certify that they are carrying out the planning process in accordance with all applicable Federal requirements.

As part of this review, the Federal agencies will be holding two forums to hear from members of the public about their views of how the transportation planning process is conducted in the region.

Session 1 will be held virtually on Zoom (www.capecodcommission.org/mpo/join, passcode: join) on Thursday, December 11th at 2:00 p.m. Session 2 will be a hybrid session with in-person participation in the Mary Pat Flynn Conference Room, Barnstable County Complex, 3195 Main Street, Barnstable and via Zoom (www.capecodcommission.org/mpo/join, passcode: join).

If you are unable to attend, you may also submit comments in writing by December 22nd to Anthony Jones, Program Development Team Leader, Federal Highway Administration and/or Brandon Burns, Transportation Program Specialist, Federal Transit Administration.

Birding on Morris Island

Join the Chatham Conservation Foundation and naturalist John Hanlon for a morning bird walk on Morris Island on Saturday, December 13th at 8 a.m.

Registration for this free event and information on upcoming programs is available through the Foundations website.