Louise Lopez
THREE-YEAR TERM, BAR HARBOR WARRANT COMMITTEE
LOUISE’S BIO
I grew up in a US Air Force family (20 schools for the first 12 years of schooling!) and have now been a proud resident of Bar Harbor for twenty-five years while happily working at The Jackson Laboratory as an administrative assistant for the same amount of time.
I believe strongly in supporting the community you call home so as well as serving my town in an elected position on the Warrant Committee I also serve with Bangor’s EMMC infant intensive care team, hold a position with WERU’s Programmer Advisory Committee, glean with the Bar Harbor summer and winter farmer’s markets, donate blood every two months, serve with year round efforts in support of the Jesup Memorial Library’s annual book sale fund raiser and support Help Portrait MDI as secretary and general volunteer.
I love all kinds of movies and think Reel Pizza is a gift from heaven! I am as well an avid reader and enjoy running, hiking, biking and back country camping I love fiber crafts and treasure my time braiding rugs, knitting, quilting, crocheting and sewing which gets the rest of my leisure attention.
THE QUESTIONS
What inspired you to run for warrant committee?
Sometimes a nudge is all you need and Cara Ryan provided that nudge when she kindly asked me to consider joining the Bar Harbor Warrant Committee when a member had to resign on short notice back in January 2022. I served in that position until the June 2022 elections when I decided to run for the position officially. My position is open again this June 2025 and I decided to run again as I was elected Secretary this past year and I would like to continue supporting the committee in that position as well as representing my fellow towns people by reviewing the Bar Harbor budget.
What are your thoughts on tax-payer-based spending in Bar Harbor?
Spending your and my taxpaid monies should be thoughtful and for every dollar we spend it should buy us as much bang for our buck as possible. It is the taxpayers that fund our town, and it is the running of our town that creates a wonderful place to call home – a symbiosis that when managed well provides good for all. I think a careful financial foot forward and good communication between both the town and the residents creates that successful symbiosis.
What are your thoughts about redirecting parking fee revenues to non-parking-related budget items?
Our state legislature has freed us to use some of our parking revenues as needed by the town and with our current infrastructure needs, some that have been put off for a long time by previous administrations, we really need those revenue dollars to help us in practical terms now and to avoid the consequences of failed infrastructure in the future. Using the parking revenue assists the town in keeping any taxpayer dollars needed to a lower ask.
The Warrant Committee considers, investigates, and reports on all of the election warrant articles except for the candidates for Town Meeting. What particular skills do you have that you think will help you perform that role?
A desire to serve my neighbors and my town, curiosity and a willingness to ask questions as well as having served on our Warrant Committee for the past four years.
Why should voters trust you to represent their interests effectively?
I have served honorably in the past and will continue to do so always keeping front and center that I am there to represent all the Bar Harbor taxpayers.
Secretly my great hope is that anyone including myself assisting with town business will hopefully inspire more of our neighbors to serve in elected positions and on committees!