Meet Paul Saltysiak

Paul Saltysiak is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, husband, father of seven, and proud Bar Harbor resident who is running for Town Council to be an independent voice for the people who call this community home.

Unlike many involved in local politics, Paul does not own a business, represent a particular industry, or belong to any special-interest group. He is simply a taxpayer, neighbor, and parent who wants to help ensure that Bar Harbor remains a place where families can live, work, and thrive for generations to come.

Paul's path to Bar Harbor began long before he became a resident. When he was 11 years old, his parents brought him to Mount Desert Island for the first time. The beauty of the area left a lasting impression. Years later, after a distinguished military career that took him around the world, Paul returned with his own family on vacation. They fell in love with the community and knew it was where they wanted to build their future. Upon retiring from the Army in 2018, Paul and his family made Bar Harbor their permanent home.

During his military career, Paul rose to the rank of Colonel and served in a variety of leadership and planning roles. His experience included operational and strategic planning, organizational modernization, and international assignments with NATO. Working with partner nations taught him how to bring together people with different priorities, perspectives, and interests to accomplish common goals. Those skills—listening, building consensus, and making practical decisions—are ones he believes are just as important in local government as they are on the international stage.

But Paul's greatest source of pride is not his military career. It is his family. Together with his wife, Shiella, he has raised seven children. Through years of military moves, deployments, and challenges, they built a strong family rooted in service, faith, and community. Today, Paul considers himself fortunate to watch his children grow, compete, learn, and flourish in Bar Harbor. Their future, and the future of other local families, is one of the main reasons he decided to seek public office.

As a Town Council candidate, Paul believes Bar Harbor faces important questions about its future. The town is many things at once: a world-class tourist destination, a historic fishing community, and a place where families seek to build their lives. Paul believes the community must thoughtfully balance those identities while preserving the character that makes Bar Harbor special.

Paul also believes local government should practice fiscal responsibility. He supports careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars and believes that new initiatives should come with a clear plan for how they will be funded. He has consistently advocated for practical, common-sense decision-making and for reducing unnecessary spending whenever possible.

Beyond his professional and family life, Paul has worked to preserve an important part of Bar Harbor's history. He established and operated the museum at Holy Redeemer Church, helping tell the story of the Catholic families and workers who helped build the community. As Holy Redeemer enters a new chapter following recent renovations, Paul looks forward to continuing to share that history with residents and visitors alike.

Paul is running because he believes many residents feel their voices are not being heard. He wants to bring a fresh perspective to Town Council—one grounded in service, independence, accountability, and a genuine commitment to the people of Bar Harbor.

His goal is simple: to help keep Bar Harbor a place where families can succeed, businesses can prosper, and future generations can enjoy the same opportunities that brought his family here.