b'C H A P T E R T H R E EOMBY Changes HandsAlmost three years passed, and suddenly the Old Mill Boat Yard was back in the news. In the interim, Batchelder had succeeded Joan Kimball as president. In a way, that was fortuitous. Not only was he a year-round Chatham resident, but also he knew from the inside out what was going on in the real estate market. The three full-time selectmen were quite aware of Batchs strengths when the matter of OMBY came before them. In a word, Woody Pierce wanted to sell the facility and had set an asking price of $950,000. He and his associates were looking at a site in Maryland where they figured it would be easier to create high- end condominiums with boat slips at waters edge.As Batchelder remembers, he brought the matter to the selectmen in an executive session. This land is going to be developed and its right on the water, he told them. We need the access for our commercial fleet as well as recreational fleet, and we ought to do something about it.We ought to see if it can be purchased.Their reply was straightforward.Why dont you see what you can do, they said. You understand.Why dont you try to do it?Batchelder acquiesced, insisting that hed do it pro born.This was in the summer of 1986. A special town meetingRichard Batchelder in an earlier time.This was had been scheduled forwhen he was speaking in the mid-1960s to the December 9-10.It would beNational Education Association as its presidentideal to have the issue resolvedelect.From Batchelder Family Archivethere. So Batchelder went into action.It happens that he is known as a superb negotiator, but time was working against him.Private interests indicated they wanted a crack at buying OMBY. However, Pierce said hed wait until after the December Town Meeting before listening to them.By November, the Waterways Advisory Commission, chaired by Richard Hiscock, had entered the scene as an advocate of Town purchase. The idea is to get public access for Chatham residents, people who have boats in Stage Harbor, said Hiscock at an open meeting, while trying to keep the neighborhood the way it exists. This was against a backdrop of ongoing negotiations; the ultimate price had not yet been agreed upon.43'