Editor:

Currently four candidates are running for the one select board seat. I hope The Chronicle gives all the candidates equal coverage in this important election and that the public comes out to vote.

Carol Bliss
West Chatham

Editor:

I am voting for Carol Gordon for Chatham selectwoman because she is the best candidate for the future stability of Chatham and a true voice of the people. Our community at present has a split personality. We need a strong communicator, an open-minded representative who listens to every voter, not just a small powerful contingent. If elected, Carol will initiate office hours weekly to listen to the public, tapping into the years of expertise of our vast retired and working population. Many cannot attend select board meetings or fear standing before TV and public to express their concerns. This policy will shorten the length of select board meetings and Carol will better represent all of Chatham and she will follow through and take action. Carol has the gift of listening to all sides of an issue and bringing opposing parties together to solve problems and come to a compromise. In 2000 she founded the South Chatham Village Association implementing these goals and bringing together summer and winter residents to work together with all of the towns committees and administration.This model can be applied to the entire community and Carol has the courage and determination to follow through with this plan. She is interested in reining in excess spending within town government projects and more specific stewardship of annual budgets. Carol is a respected leader, business owner, two-term board of health member, president of SCA , vice president of South Chatham Public Library, certified fitness trainer and author. She has a wealth of experience in healthcare, advertising, marketing and public relations. 

Carol is knowledgeable on current town issues like affordable housing, airport, water and sewer, COA and conservation. She is a problem solver and an independent analytical thinker. 

Anne B. Timpson
Chatham 

Editor:

The addition of Stuart Smith to our select board has been a breath of fresh air, providing smart analysis of town issues, not a rubber stamping of our town's overspending and often poor decisions affecting residents.

Now it's up to us on May 14 to continue what we started in the last election by adding another excellent candidate and true advocate for Chatham to the select board.

Carol Gordon has demonstrated her commitment and love of the Chatham community through her advocacy and dedication to issues central to Chatham residents. In her roles as a two-term member of the board of health, founder and president of the South Chatham Village Association, successful local business owner, and advocate for honest government, she continues to demonstrate her abilities. It's time to let Carol share her talents and leadership in an even broader role by electing her to the select board.

Carol has worked toward greater transparency in our town government by challenging conflicts of interest on our boards, authoring a successful warrant article toward that end, advocating for better outcomes for our older residents, demanding reasonable affordable housing that actually meets the needs of Chatham residents, and keeping our community airport appropriate to our small town. She is knowledgeable on issues such as water, sewer, and environmental conservation. 

Carol Gordon has proven an independent and knowledgeable thinker who will represent the residents of Chatham effectively and with respect. Let’s finish the job we started in the last election to give our select board another worthy candidate! 

E.J. McKenna
South Chatham

Editor:

On Friday, March 13 a very kind gentleman bestowed a very nice and unexpected act of kindness upon me at the Harwich Transfer Station.

Friday was the first day that I was allowed to drive after having my left knee replacement on March 3, so my cane was on the front seat. I backed into the building, and to my right a truck backed in next to me. As I was moving my seat back so that I could get out of the car, a young man opened my trunk and said he was going to take care of it for me. He then disposed of my trash and food scraps and asked if the other bags were to be recycled. I told him they were, and he said, “I will meet you at recycling.” I drove to the recycling and got out of my car. The young man came to my trunk and emptied my recyclables.

We talked for a few minutes, and he said he wished his mother lived closer. I asked where she lived, and he told me in Western Mass., so I asked where and he replied Belchertown. I replied that's Central Mass. and told him I lived in Colrain for many years. We talked about the beauty and openness of Western Mass. Then I asked him how he happened to live on the Cape. He replied that his wife needed to be near the ocean. 

I thanked him for his kindness and help and told him that I hoped someone would be as kind and helpful to his mother as he had been to me.

This gentleman's actions truly touched me and restored my faith that there are still very good people in this world today.

Although I do not know who this person is, I wanted to share his kindness with you.

Cathe Cerretani
Harwich

Editor:

I’m writing in support of Carol Gordon for Chatham Select Board. I’ve known Carol for many years and can vouch for her integrity, honesty and commitment to Chatham.

The people of Chatham deserve to learn more about her in equal fashion to recent above fold features of new candidates. Please consider a more indepth overview of Carol and her platform for Chatham.

Carol is a woman of her word and she honors that in all she does. She has wonderful relationships in town and will deliver all and more that she promises if elected to the select board. A fresh perspective and someone representing all of Chatham is just what we need. 

Please consider offering more about Carol to the voters of Chatham.

Julie Widrow 
Chatham and Stoughton

Editor:

I enthusiastically support the candidacy of Randi Potash for select board in the town of Chatham. Randi is a thoughtful, accomplished, engaged woman in our community who listens and reasonably evaluates every situation. Randi uses her professional expertise as a trained mediator to synthesize different points of view for the benefit of all stakeholders, a welcome approach contrary to the constant stream of criticism we often hear from some quarters.

Randi’s career as an attorney will be a benefit to our community. She is not afraid to make hard decisions after taking the time to do the research needed to reach those decisions. 

I admire Randi's commitment to our community and to her vision of “One Chatham.” Randi is ready to serve everyone for the benefit of our entire community.

Mary Beth Daniel
Chatham

Editor:

What does the town select board do if the $3 million request for additional funds to remodel the existing Center for Active Living (CFAL) building doesn't pass at town meeting? I think that this proposal should be turned down for the following reasons:

1. Additional costs will be incurred due to inflation.

2. Additional work may need to be done when the remodel is being done.

3. It is likely that some hazardous materials may have to be taken care of.

It is going to make the current building a little more functional and ADA compliant. This project is not going to be a state-of-the-art building which is what the residents of Chatham deserve.

Start a community based Go Fund campaign to raise $20 million to purchase land and construct a state-of-the-art CFAL building for the residents of Chatham. There are lots of experienced accountants, attorneys, bankers, finance advisors and managers who live in town and could volunteer their services.

Victor Drozell
Houston, Texas

Editor:

 On Monday, Feb. 23 we lost our electricity at 8:30 a.m. Our house cooled off quickly, probably due to the snow/ice storm that was raging outside. All day we watched the storm wreak havoc on our house and its surrounding woods. We wished we could get to a warming center, but we have only one narrow, heavily-treed road that provides access to the outer world. 

That night we slept in our coats. The three of us, my husband, our teenager, and I, didn’t sleep much. The next day (Tuesday), we headed for a warming station. We stayed as long as we could, but the Chatham Community Center did not stay open all night, so we returned to our freezing house. Another night in the North Pole did not result in a restful sleep. Back at the community center the next day, we heard about an overnight shelter at Cape Cod Technical School. Because I am disabled and cannot tolerate low-positioned seating, we headed for that shelter as soon as we could so I could select a cot that would be high enough for me to use comfortably. We found a cot that I could use. After a delicious meal, we snuggled down, anticipating our first good sleep in days. 

The next morning (Thursday), we heard about a Hyannis hotel that had some vacancies. By now desperate for sleep, we decided to use some of the funds we were saving for vacation. I called and made a reservation, telling the hotel staffer of my needs as a handicapped person. We zoomed up there, only to find that the room was not handicap-accessible. We also were told that rooms were very scarce because Eversource had taken over much of the resort, reportedly to house the people who were trying to restore electricity to the area. A very nice desk clerk finally found handicap-accessible accommodations for us, and we at last felt human again — warmth, showers, and sleep. The next morning, we asked to continue our stay in that room and were told we could not because Eversource had discovered the room and wanted it. We offered to pay more.

Reluctantly heading for home, I checked with our neighbor and found that electricity had just been restored to our neighborhood. I leave you with one thought: when your electric bills rise — and they will — remember that it is all of us who must pay for Eversource’s takeover of Hyannis’ Margaritaville Resort. 

Nancy Nickerson
Chatham

Editor:

The Orleans Human Services Advisory Committee recently lost its vice chair, Fran Kelly, who passed away last week. Fran was a true advocate for children and youth. After a long career as a psychologist, he brought his expertise to our town through his dedicated volunteer service.

As committee members, we deeply valued his knowledge, thoughtful communication, and unwavering passion. Fran helped both the committee and the broader community better understand the needs of underserved and at-risk youth. He was instrumental in encouraging support for the Navigators Program at the Orleans Police Department, which assists families and diverts individuals with serious behavioral health challenges away from emergency rooms and hospitals toward appropriate community-based care.

Fran exemplified the very best of civic engagement — a committed retiree who continued to give generously of his time and talents to strengthen our community. He will be greatly missed.

Barb Hartfield
Fran Mustaro
Richard White
Susan Chandler
Orleans Human Services Advisory Committee