Dear Cape Friends,
If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been along for the ride, welcome back
Today, we’re going to talk politics. Yup… we’re going there.
But before everyone starts having heart palpitations, relax - I’m talking local Chatham politics. Not national politics. Phew… 😅
No cable news panels. No red maps vs. blue maps. No CNN or FOX News. Just good old-fashioned Chatham politics (and for my Orleans, Harwich, Brewster, Truro, etc. friends reading this - don’t worry - next week we’ll get back to real estate, fishing reports, and questionable life advice!
Last week, I attended a private meeting here in Chatham with Select Board candidate Randi Potash along with a number of longtime community members and business leaders - including several longtime pilots and prominent supporters of Chatham Municipal Airport (CQX).
The purpose of the gathering was to discuss the airport, the surrounding messaging, and the broader future direction of the town.
CQX - IMPORTANT
I genuinely try to hear both sides of every issue before making a decision. But after listening carefully and speaking with many thoughtful people on the subject, I simply have not heard a compelling reason to weaken what I believe is a cherished part of Chatham’s history and infrastructure. To me, CQX represents far more than airplanes. It reflects public safety, accessibility, emergency services, local business activity, and an important part of the fabric of this wonderful community.
Unfortunately, there’s also been a fair amount of overheated rhetoric and misinformation surrounding the issue. For the record, I remain firmly supportive of preserving CQX.
Going into the meeting, I honestly didn’t know much about Randi beyond hearing her name around town. By the end, however, I walked away genuinely impressed. The room itself was not exactly easy terrain. It was filled with many of Chatham’s longtime personalities - strong opinions, big voices, but mainly people deeply invested in the future of this community.
What stood out to me was how calmly and skillfully Randi handled the room.
Rather than dominating the discussion, she listened. She literally went around the table asking each person for their thoughts before offering her own perspective. It was thoughtful, organized, and surprisingly effective.
As many of you may (or may not) know, Randi is a litigator by profession, and it showed in the best possible way - prepared, composed, articulate, and very comfortable navigating difficult conversations.
Earlier in the week, I ran into a local attorney and Eastward Ho! golf pal of mine with a “very legitimate” 5 handicap - Bill Riley - and I asked him his opinion of Randi. Turns out they’ve gone up against each other many times professionally. Oh boy...
(And to be fair, Bill's swing is every bit as silky-smooth as Ernie Els, but I digress)
Back to Bill - To my surprise his response was short and direct: “Very tough, but she has my vote – and her sign sits in front of my office.” Wowza! Coming from Bill (aka the answer-man), that struck me as meaningful. ⛳
But seriously, what resonated with me most was a metaphor she used while explaining how she approaches leadership and life.
She said the two words she lives by are: Communication and Trust.
Communication, she explained, is critical to any healthy community. And trust, she said, is like a vase. Once broken, it can be repaired - but it is very difficult to ever restore it fully to its original form.
I thought that was a powerful way to frame leadership. As a result, she has earned my vote for Select Board. Truthfully, I don’t even know whether Randi is technically “red” or “blue.” And honestly, I don’t particularly care. At the local level - especially in a town like Chatham - shouldn’t it really come down to who can effectively communicate, lead, and help solve problems?
And apparently, I’m not alone. Over the last several days, her signs seem to be popping up around Chatham like daffodils in May. There is one in front of my house too!
If you’d like to learn more about Randi and her positions on local issues, you can visit her website here: www.randipotash.com
(And if you’re around Friday morning, I’ll be at my favorite - Chatham Perk from 8:00–9:00am. As always, coffee’s on me)
See you around the elbow (and hopefully Friday morning),
Paul
P.S. If you’re thinking about buying or selling, PaulBorde.com is a great place to browse listings, catch past NEWSLETTERS, and stay current on the market - and, if I may say so, revisit a few of my Pulitzer Prize–level hits. 😀