Because Of Delays, New Observation Deck May Wait Until Fall CHATHAM — With angry fishermen struggling to offload their catch, and with crowds of sightseers looking in vain for a place to watch, town officials are voicing frustration with the contractor hired to replace the observation deck at the fish pier. While some of the delays are linked to this spring’s unusually wet weather, many are blaming genera...

CHATHAM — A Minister’s Point property owner whose land is threatened by erosion is keeping up the legal fight against dredging in Chatham Harbor. Essentially denying an earlier appeal by property owner Gerald Milden, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued a superseding order of conditions late last month that would have allowed dredging to go forward in an area inside the North Inlet...

CHATHAM — Pledging to bring a new senior center proposal to voters this fall, Selectmen Monday outlined a plan to find a better site for the building, even if it’s smaller than the Middle Road parcel rejected by town meeting last month. The town will issue a renewed request for proposals (RFP) from private property owners who would like to sell or potentially even lease land to the town on a long-term basis....

CHATHAM – A decision on allowing a food truck downtown during the summer Mondays on Main music nights was postponed this week. The board of selectmen are tentatively scheduled to take up the topic June 24, pending submission of followup paperwork by the Chatham Merchants Association, the event sponsor, specifically regarding the food truck location and a traffic and pedestrian safety plan. Selectmen last week ...

CHATHAM – The town is justly proud of its history and the historical assets that it has preserved. This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, residents and visitors will have the opportunity to experience special events and open houses at the town's museums and other sites during the annual History Weekend. Sponsored by Historic Chatham, a cooperative effort among the town's museums and non-profit historical and cultur...

CHATHAM – A request to demolish a historical house that was the subject of a 2013 documentary will go before the historical commission next month. “Starboard Light” is the name of the circa 1860 house at 154 Champlain Rd., as well as the title a film by Nick Fitzhugh, whose family owned the property for decades before selling it in 2010. The house was a gathering place for several generations of the Fitzhugh f...

CHATHAM – In reaction to the recent cutting of trees along town-owned land bordering the Seaside Links Golf Course, the board of selectmen is considering a strict policy punishing those who encroach on municipal property. Officials detailed a half dozen incidents where abutting property owners encroached on town land; four of them bordered the golf course, and two others involved land near town cemeteries. ...

CHATHAM – With the state ruling in the town's favor in a dispute over dredging in Chatham Harbor, officials are investigating expanding the footprint where dredging is allowed to include most of the northern section of the harbor in the expectation that the main navigation channel will be shifting over time. “Things are changing so quickly,” said Natural Resources Director Robert Duncanson. “North Beach Island...

CHATHAM – There's actually some good news for boaters: The town's dynamic, shoal-ridden waterways are no more difficult to navigate this summer than last. In fact, some spots have improved. A little. But local knowledge still remains critical, and conditions are subject to change at any time, Harbormaster Stuart Smith told a capacity crowd at an informational meeting at the community center Saturday sponsored ...

CHATHAM – Construction of a new observation deck at the municipal fish pier won't be completed until after the July 4 holiday. “The deck may be up, but it won't be open to the public in time for July 4,” said Natural Resources Director Robert Duncanson. The $1.6 million construction project at the pier, which includes a new deck and replacement of underground fuel tanks, has been delayed by wet weather, con...

Limited Dates Allowed During Mondays On Main Events CHATHAM – One of the criticisms organizers of last summer's inaugural Mondays on Main heard was there weren't enough food choices available during the event. This year they proposed adding a local food truck to the weekly music festival, but didn't anticipate opposition from downtown restaurant owners. At Monday's board of selectmen's meeting, a number of ...

Volunteer Water Monitoring Program Turns 20 CHATHAM — Aside from supporting their town’s wastewater management efforts and being responsible homeowners and boaters, there’s not much individual citizens can do to clean up local waterways, right? If that’s what you think, the Pleasant Bay Alliance has an opportunity for you. The group is recruiting new volunteer water quality monitors who will collect sc...