Ossipee—February 17, 2025—Ask Kyle Copeland why he’s running in the five-way race for a seat on Ossipee’s Select Board and he’ll talk about low taxes, investing in schools, and being transparent with the public.

But his motivation is also about protecting the lake.

“Ossipee Lake is the economic driver of our town, and that’s always on my mind,” Copeland says.

Copeland and his wife, Rachel, live in the Leavitt Bay home where he spent summers growing up. After working in education and finance elsewhere, he and Rachel settled on the lake permanently about nine years ago.

His interest in protecting Ossipee Lake is evidenced by his many years as a member of Broad-Leavitt Bay Association, the largest such association on the lake. He is currently the group’s President.

As a year-round Ossipee resident on a lake with a lot of seasonal homeowners, he’s often seen as a kind of go-between with town officials, whom he’s gotten to know personally over years of regularly attending board meetings.

Those relationships paid off last year after a proposal for a major docking structure on tiny Loon Island was approved by DES without a public hearing despite the concerns of town officials, who had no formal say in the state’s decision.

Loon Island is a documented loon nesting site that for years has been plagued by trespassing boaters. With the concurrence of town leaders, Copeland enlisted Executive Council member Joe Kenney to hold a hearing so that local voices could be heard.

The hearing didn’t change DES’s approval, but it set the stage for a negotiation with the island’s owner that resulted in Ossipee buying the property for conservation land.

“I knew the town had money for that purpose from a bequest from a long-time lake resident who passed away a few years ago,” Copeland said.

“It seemed like a good match, and since the island’s owner was a neighbor, it all came together fairly quickly for everyone’s benefit.”

Copeland’s business is the Wolfeboro Antiques and Artisan Barn, a 45-vendor group shop housed in a 1765 dairy barn that was once part of the long closed Allen A Resort.

On any given day—the business is open from April through Columbus Day—vacationers and locals might find themselves browsing in the shop with bold face names like Mitt and Ann Romney, and Jimmy Fallon and his wife Nancy Juvonen, who vacation in the area.

Gloria Villari, Secretary of Broad-Leavitt Bay Association, says she has worked with Copeland for more than a decade and describes him as collaborative, hardworking and an effective conflict resolver.

“Kyle has witnessed many changes in Ossipee and has seen the pressures and challenges those changes have created for local residents,” Villari said.

“He has an unusual combination of positive attributes that are a good fit with public office.”

Edwina Boose chairs the Friends of Constitution Park, the volunteer organization that has revitalized the 100+ acre town property that is dedicated to recreation and conservation. She also know Copeland well.

“Kyle understands the importance of the lake and understands Ossipee’s unique needs,” Boose says.

“His commitment to fostering growth while preserving the town’s charm resonates with both long-time residents and newcomers.”