b'C H A P T E R E I G H TWe learned how vital it is, he says, to work at cooperating with Town officials and professional staff. We learned to anticipate the natural resistance by Town employees to our cooperation. And we learned, as well, about outreachabout encouraging contacts and suggesting meetings so we could listen to people from many constituencies.Looking back, George Olmsted recognizes that misunderstandings, rumors, and negative reactions developed around town, mostly due to inconsistent, even inadequate communications. But even so, FCW did become convinced that a dedicated citizens group can develop improvements in Chatham when Town boards and staff cannot take the time to work through the technical aspects of such issues. Town Manager Bill Hinchey As someone widely involved in town affairscommended FCW for what since moving to Chatham full-time in 1995, FCWit had done in shooting for changes in the Zoning President Olmsteds perspective tells him that theBylaw.But the effort, he threats to wise land use and natural resourcesaid, was not successful. . . preservation will not go away. They have to bewe know that if were going managed by citizens and Town officials workingto change the Bylaw . it together as closely as possible. That, of course,needs to be done comprehensively.The Chronicleis what FCW set out to do in pursuing ZB revisions.At times, it might have seemed that pushing for these major zoning changes was the only business before the Friends. Not at all. During that projects nearly four-year life, the board sanctioned other initiatives that are proving to have, in different ways, distinct value for the community at large.1 Historian William Smith notes old deeds suggesting that William Nickerson died in late summer,1690.2 See A History of Chatham Massachusetts,by William C. Smith, 3rd edition. Published by ChathamHistorical Society, 1981.3 By-law is actually spelled bylaw, or byelaw.4 See Town Reports for 1953,1954, 1956 and 1957.5 From a joint interview with John Geiger and Debby Ecker on October 18, 2002.6 From an interview with Bill Riley in December 2001.7 As defined by John Geiger, grandfathering is a State and/or local mandate that protectsproperties from certain changes in the local zoning bylaw and freezes a lots dimensional requirements to the time the lot was recorded with the local planning board or town clerk.(It) protects a property owner against any changes that might occur in area, frontage, width, yard or depth requirements of the zoning bylaw of any non-conforming lot.147'