Local Election Results

Thank you to all Chatham voters who participated in the State/Presidential Election this year. Of the 6,230 registered voters in Town, 4,888 cast ballots - 78.5%!

Our local preliminary results saw 2952 ballots for Harris/Walz on the presidential ticket and 1743 for Trump/Vance. Third party candidates received 81 votes, and there were 55 write-ins and 57 blanks.

Incumbent Senator Elizabeth Warren received 2663 votes while challenger John Deaton received 2146, with 3 write-ins and 76 blanks. Incumbent Representative Bill Keating received 2860 votes while Dan Sullivan received 1891, with 3 write-ins and 134 blanks.

Joseph C. Ferreira received 2432 votes for his re-election to the Governor’s Council while Krysten Condon received 1847 votes. There were 7 write-ins and 602 blanks.

Julian Cyr received 2748 votes for State Senator while Christopher Lauzon received 1846 votes and Joe Van Nes received 57 votes. There were 232 blanks and 5 write-ins.

In unopposed races Hadley Luddy received 3383 votes for State Representative (79 write-ins and 1426 blanks); Susan Moran received 3361 votes for Clerk of Courts (67 write-ins and 1460 blanks); John Meade received 3483 votes for Register of Deeds (49 write-ins and 1356 blanks); Randi Potash received 3510 votes as Chatham’s representative to the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates.

In the election for two County Commissioners, Mark Forest received 2427 votes, Sheila Lyons received 2461 votes, Ron Beaty received 1564 votes and Cynthia Stead received 1376 votes. There were 1942 blanks and 6 write-ins.

Chatham voters supported Question 1 to authorize the State Auditor to audit the Massachusetts Legislature and did not support Question 2 to eliminate the requirement that students pass the MCAS in order to graduate from high school, Question 3 to provide transportation network drivers the option to form unions to collectively bargain, Question 4 to legalize under certain circumstances the use, possession, and growth of certain psychedelic substances, Question 5 to increase the hourly minimum wage of tipped workers over 5 years, Question 6 to amend the Barnstable County Charter, and Question 7 on the development of South Coast and Commonwealth Wind.

Seasonal Public Restroom Closures

Each year the majority of Chatham's public restrooms close seasonally on a staggered schedule. The restrooms without heat (Harding’s Beach and Vet’s Field) close after Columbus Day. The restrooms at Oyster Pond Beach will close after the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. The restrooms at Eldredge Garage and Kate Gould Park will close after First Night (New Year’s Day).

This year restrooms behind the Town Offices at 549 Main Street will close after First Night for renovations. The Stage Harbor Road parking lot restrooms behind the Orpheum Theater, which would normally close after First Night, will remain open until the renovations are completed at the Town Office location. Signage will be installed directing visitors to the open restroom.

Restrooms at the Fish Pier and Harbormaster Office remain open year-round.

Overhead of housing and zoning of neighborhood graphic

West Chatham Neighborhood Build Out Analysis Workshop

In response to the presentation on the West Chatham Neighborhood Center Build Out Analysis received from BSC Group at its October 28th meeting, the Planning Board is holding a dedicated work session on Monday, November 18th, beginning at 2 p.m. in the small meeting room at the Town Office Annex, 261 George Ryder Road. Due to a previously scheduled meeting in the small conference room the Planning Board anticipates that the meeting will end at 3:45 p.m.

The work session will provide the Planning Board members the opportunity to ask questions of the consultant on the Analysis. The public will have the chance to ask questions of the consultants at the conclusion of the session and to provide additional input to the Planning Board on the Analysis at its next meeting on Monday, November 25th beginning at 5 p.m.

Town Manager's Report; September

The Select Board received the September 2024 report from Town Manager Jill Goldsmith on October 29th.

The full report, including updates on Town projects and statistics from all Town Departments, is available for review on the Town’s website.

Team Chatham Crowns Chili Champs

Chatham's Employee Recognition and Engagement Committee held its first Chili Cook-Off at the VFW on Thursday, November 7th.Ten pots of chili were entered by staff members representing eight Town Departments/Divisions, and top prizes were awarded for the Judge's Choice and People's Choice.

Congratulations to Sarah Clark representing our Community Development Department for having her entry favored by the judges and to Susan Mabile for having her recipe favored by the most attendees!

Thank you to our judges Angela Bucar of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce, Theresa Malone of Monomoy Community Services, and Amanda Martello from US Coast Guard Station Chatham!

Donations of cash and canned/shelf stable goods were collected at the door for the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center.

Council on Aging seeking a department coordinator

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

Sewer/Road Construction Update

November 11th – November 15th

Meetinghouse/Morton Road Sewer Extension Project

Site work at Pump Station #3 (Meetinghouse Road) and Pump Station #4 (Twine Field Drive) is expected to continue.

Access driveway installation at Pump Station #3 is tentatively scheduled. Minimal work in Route 28/Main Street is expected near the intersection with Meetinghouse Road. Lane shifts expected to accommodate work, alternating one way traffic with no detours expected. Signage and police details will be in place.

Stage Harbor Road Sewer Extension Project

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

Oyster Pond Sewer Extension Project

Continued sewer and water work on Pond View Avenue/Pond View West is expected. Access will be limited; police detail(s) will be onsite to assist residents.

Queen Anne Pump Station

Site cleanup and restoration work at pump station site is expected on Tuesday, November 12th (40 Queen Anne Road; south side of Queen Anne Road and Oyster Pond Furlong intersection).

Mill Pond Pump Station

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

Paving

Drainage work will commence on Seaview Street. Paving on Old Harbor Road and Seaview Street is dependent upon the completion of the drainage work. Road closures and detours on Seaview Street should be expected; police detail(s) will be onsite to assist residents.

Town of Chatham seal with silhouette of a speaker in the center

Upcoming Public Hearing

The Select Board will hold the following public hearings at 5:30 p.m. in the large meeting room of the Town Office Annex, 261 George Ryder Road:

November 19th

To consider a petition from NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy to install 50’ +/- of 1-3” PVC conduit encased in concrete from proposed handhole HH9/H35A to new customer installed handhole HH9/H35B to provide new underground service to 390 Old Harbor Road.

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

Small Business Resource Fair at the Eldredge Public Library November 14 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Cape Cod Bridges Project Open House

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is holding an Open House for the Cape Cod Bridges Program (https://www.mass.gov/cape-cod-bridges-program ) on Monday, November 18th, with sessions running from 12 noon to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Bourne Veteran’s Memorial Community Center, 239 Main Street, Buzzards Bay.

The purpose of the Open House is to provide updates on the Cape Cod Bridges Program to replace the Bourne and Sagamore bridges and will include graphics and displays regarding recommended highway interchange options, proposed build alternatives, and next steps. Public comments submitted in response to the Open House will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.

No registration is required to attend Open House sessions. The Bourne Veteran’s Memorial Community Center is an ADA compliant location and translation services will be available in Spanish, Portuguese, American Sign Language, and by request.

Project inquiries may be emailed to massdotmajorprojects@dot.state.ma.us . Written comments regarding the Cape Cod Bridges Program may be submitted to Carrie A. Lavallee, Suite 7410, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Highway Division, Project File No. 608020.

Concentric circles with Cape Cod Commission below

Vision Zero Action Plan Meetings

The Cape Cod Commission is developing a Vision Zero Action Plan for Cape Cod to identify and eliminate fatalities and serious injuries from vehicle crashes for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and drivers and have scheduled a series of meetings designed to educate and inform the public about the plan and to gather feedback.

Public meetings are scheduled on Tuesday, November 12th at 5:30 p.m. at the Snow Library, 67 Main Street, Orleans; Thursday, November 21st at6 p.m. at the Sandwich Center for Active Living, 70 Quaker Meetinghouse Road, Sandwich; and Tuesday, December 3rd at 5:30 p.m. at Barnstable Town Hall, 367 Main Street, Hyannis. A second series of public meetings will be scheduled in early 2025.

Those who cannot attend a meeting may provide comments using the public comment tool on the project’s website or by emailing the Commission.

The Action Plan will consider a range of low-cost, high-impact regional strategies such as bike light distribution, updated pedestrian signal equipment, and major infrastructure improvements at key locations. Completing the Action Plan will make all 15 Cape Cod towns eligible for future Federal Highway Implementation Grants to leverage federal funding to implement strategies.

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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