Jul 24, 2025
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by The Links Pub.
BAR HARBOR—The Bar Harbor Warrant Committee quickly nominated and appointed Dr. Elissa Chesler to replace Steven Boucher, July 23.
This is due to Boucher’s election to the town council in June. There are two years left to his term. The warrant committee appointment is for one year. At the June 2026 election, there will be a vote to fill that remaining year of his appointment.
The warrant committee’s nominating committee had met July 21 and recommended Chesler out of two candidates who applied. A third applicant had withdrawn prior to that meeting. The nominating committee consisted of Chair Christine Smith, Vice Chair Meg Kelly, Secretary Louise Lopez, and Shaun Farrar representing the public safety subcommittee, which is the subcommittee Boucher had served on.
“The four of us had a united, unanimous vote,” Chris Smith said. “We were very thrilled and pleased that we had two great applications from smart, dedicated people.”
Brooke “Zana” Lundquist, Tammy Bloom, Carol Chappell. Robert Chaplin, Kevin DesVeaux, Babara Dunphey, Shaun Farrar, John Kelly, Louisa Lopez, Chris Smith, and Vicky Smith all voted in favor. Members absent included Meg Kelly, Allison Sasner, and Bailey Stillman.
Dr. Chesler is a professor and The Ann Watson Symington Chair in Addiction Research and Senior Director, Integrative Data Science at the Jackson Laboratory.
Dr. Chesler had been the planning board secretary and served on the comprehensive plan planning committee. She and then new planning board member Cosmo Nims both announced that they were not not continuing once their terms were up as of June 2024. Chesler said that a new position at work required more hours and focus.
There will likely be an August 13 presentation to the committee from the planning department about potential land use ordinance amendments that will go before the voters in November.
All the returning members have done their ethics training. Most members need to redo their FOA training, Town Clerk Liz Graves said.
Disclaimer: Bar Harbor Story’s Shaun Farrar is a member of the warrant committee.
The Following Two Images are Paid Content From The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce Thanking Its Sponsors and Partners for Independence Day
LINKS TO LEARN MORE:
Contact all warrant committee members and the town manager simultaneously by using the following email address: warrant@barharbormaine.gov
Agendas and minutes of the warrant committee are available through the Agenda Center.
Town Charter Article VII, Warrant Committee
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