Township Committee picks Essen for Southern Boulevard housing
Jen Rowland said planning is advancing at the former skate park site, and the Township Committee later chose Essen after weighing three proposals.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — southern boulevard affordable housing plan advances, town advances solar project financing, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
Committee members said Essen stood out for its nonprofit status, experience, knowledge of Chatham, and references from prior work.
A vacant site is inching toward its next use. Jen Rowland told the Township Committee that affordable housing planning is moving ahead for the former Southern Boulevard skate park property, and she pointed residents to a later agenda item for the formal action.
That action came when the Township Committee unanimously awarded the development contract to Essen. Members had three proposals in front of them. In explaining the choice, they cited Essen’s nonprofit status, its experience with this kind of work, its familiarity with Chatham, and its references. The vote turned a general update into a concrete step for a property the town has been discussing for some time.
What comes next was only sketched out at this meeting, but the direction is clearer now. The site is no longer just a planning topic; it now has a selected development partner. Jen Rowland earlier update and the later unanimous vote put the Southern Boulevard parcel on a more defined track, with future meetings likely to fill in the details residents will want most: the shape of the project, the timeline, and how the town plans to use the former skate park site for affordable housing.
Town advances solar project financing
The solar project moved from concept to financing steps. The Township Committee took four unanimous actions tied to the previously announced plan, setting up the borrowing and budget changes needed to keep it moving.
First, the committee cancelled capital balances and amended the capital budget. Then it introduced two bond ordinances, one for the water treatment plant and another for a separate non-WPC component. Taken together, the votes lined up the legal and financial pieces for the project’s next phase.
Residents will get another chance to weigh in soon. Public hearings on both bond ordinances are scheduled for October 13. That means the financing package is not final yet, but the committee has now formally advanced it and put the remaining steps on the calendar.
No one speaks at closing comment
The meeting’s second public comment period opened near the end of the session and closed without any speakers. Jen Rowland said the same rules applied, the meeting checked for Zoom hands, and no one commented in person or online.
Second comment period had no speakers and only closed after restating participation rules.
Flu shot clinic set for October 7
A brief Board of Health announcement said flu shots will be available at the municipal building on Wednesday, October 7 at 11:00. The notice was simple and direct: residents were encouraged to come get vaccinated.
Announced municipal flu shot clinic for Wednesday, October 7 at 11:00.
Craig Alperowitz previews yard sale, cleanup
Craig Alperowitz said the Environmental Commission’s summer leaf blower program drew positive feedback and will return next year. He added that registration is open for the Tri-Town fall yard sale on October 17, with an October 18 rain date, and said more details on a fall cleanup are coming.
Reported fall cleanup details and registration for the Tri-Town yard sale on October 17.
Student pitches Chatham Passport Month
During the first public comment period, a Chatham High School student outlined an October project meant to send residents into local businesses to collect stamps and learn town history. The student said passports would be distributed through the library, with rewards at four, eight, and 12 stops, including lunch with Jen Rowland.
Student presented October Chatham Passport Month to drive residents to local businesses and rewards.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
Chatham had 4 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCEDeputy Mayor Report: Open Space (No Update) and Library Programs. Deputy Mayor McHugh reported no new updates from the open space subcommittee and thanked the student presenter for the passport initiative. He then shared multiple library announcements, including suicide prevention programming, participation in the October 10 Darkness Walk, a new history book discussion series beginning October 1, and summer reading participation figures.
- GOVERNANCECommunity and School-Related Recognitions; Wellness and Youth Sports Assistance Updates. Committeeman Troy congratulated Chatham High School National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists and shared observations about the “bell-to-bell” law’s impact in schools. He also provided updates on the volunteer-led Play Forward organization, including scholarships for youth sports and upcoming fundraising and awareness events.
- GOVERNANCEProclamation: Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (September 2026). Mayor Roland recognized September 2026 as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in Chatham Township. A formally invited speaker, Rachel Sackett, shared her experience as a stage three ovarian cancer survivor and advocate, emphasizing awareness, lack of early detection testing, and the impact of late diagnosis.
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No resident comments recorded this week.