Dear Paul
Welcome back. And if your new to my occasional emails – so great to have you here. I like to mix a little real estate insight with some fun (and sometimes nerdy) stories along the way.
I’m excited to invite you to my very first Fireside Chat at Chatham Perk this coming week — and I couldn’t ask for a better guest to kick things off than Mike Schell, who’s running for Chatham’s Select Board.
Where: Chatham Perk
When: Friday, May 9 | 8:00–9:30 AM
Perks: Coffee & light refreshments — on me!
This will be a casual, no-pressure opportunity to hear directly from Mike — in person — and get a feel for his vision for Chatham ahead of the important May 15th election.
Last week, I sat down with Mike for a long, thoughtful, and genuinely warm conversation that covered everything from his deep legal background to his Midwestern values, his family, and his hopes for Chatham. I walked away impressed.
Mike spent 40 years in New York City as a top M&A attorney at Skadden Arps — think of the legal equivalent of an NFL team, with Mike as a quarterback: smart, strategic, and willing to grind when it counts. But when I first met him, he was wearing a well-worn Caterpillar baseball cap and carrying a backpack. Hmmm. Not exactly the stereotype of a slick big-city lawyer with bad coffee breath, a closet full of pressed Brooks Brothers suits, and a chip on his shoulder. Nope. Mike’s a man’s man — my kind of guy.
We even discovered we probably crossed paths years ago at McFadden’s Saloon in Midtown (one of my old restaurants). But more importantly, we connected over something deeper: a shared love for this community.
Mike is focused on the issues that matter most to Chatham’s future, and he highlighted three key areas in need of urgent attention:
Affordable Housing * Sewer Infrastructure * Protecting Our Coastline
Net-net: Preserving Chatham’s character for everyone — not just the wealthy few.
He also spoke with real warmth about his wife of nearly 50 years and their three kids. A family man. A proven problem solver. A community-first mindset. Mike checks all the boxes.
I hope you’ll stop by, grab a coffee, and meet him for yourself. I think you’ll leave with a clear sense of the man behind the candidacy — and why he’s the right choice to help guide Chatham into the future.
(And yes — at the end of our chat, I asked for a yard sign that I am placing in front of my house. He pulled one right out of his pickup truck. Another check ✔️. He’s got my vote.)
Looking forward to seeing you there!
As always, if you have any questions about our local real estate market here on the elbow, feel free to reach out. I'd love to hear from you.
Best,
Paul C. Borde’ | Wilkinson & Associates Real Estate
Realtor®