Billie Jayne Cooke

Hello, my name is Billie Jayne Cooke and I am thrilled to be running for City Council in Lewiston Ward 5 as an Independent candidate. As an Innkeeper and Event Center Manager, I have a strong connection to our community. Growing up in northern Maine and attending a one-room school in Shirley, I have a deep appreciation for the unique character of our area. After spending many years in Pennsylvania, where I raised four boys as a single mother, I returned to Maine in 2018 to pursue my dream of owning the Agora Grand Event Center and the Inn at the Agora. Although I don't have a political background, I am invested in our Fifth Ward as both a resident and business owner. I am committed to ensuring that our neighborhood has a voice that truly represents our community and allows the majority opinion to be heard. My main focus is supporting entrepreneurship and small businesses, as I believe they are vital to the success of any community. Additionally, I am passionate about promoting an environment that encourages respectful debate and the exchange of ideas, as I firmly believe that diverse perspectives lead to better decisions for our community. I hope to have the opportunity to serve Ward 5 and make a positive impact on our city. Thank you for your support.

I am running for City Council in Lewiston Ward 5 as a member of the Independent party because I believe in the power of community representation. As an innkeeper and event center manager, I have a deep connection to the residents and businesses in our ward. Having grown up in northern Maine and raising my own family as a single mother, I understand the challenges and needs of our community. With my experience as an IT Security Project Manager and my dedication to the Tree Streets neighborhood, I am committed to being a strong voice for our ward. I am passionate about supporting entrepreneurship and small businesses, as they are the backbone of our community. I also believe in promoting an environment that encourages respectful debate and the exchange of ideas, as it is through open communication that we can better address the needs of our neighbors. I am determined to ensure that every voice is heard and that the majority opinion is properly represented. Together, we can make a positive impact on our community and create a vibrant and thriving neighborhood.

Innkeeper & Event Center Manager

My prior professional career was as an IT Security Project Manager for a large financial services company. I retired at 51 and fully invested in Lewiston in the Tree Streets neighborhood. While I don’t have a political background, I am a resident and business owner in the 5th ward and a parent with a child in our city school district. I want to do my part to ensure that our neighborhood is represented by a voice that represents our ward in a manner that allows the majority opinion of our neighbors that speak up be heard.

I grew up in northern Maine and went to a one room school in Shirley. I spent my entire adult life in Pennsylvania where I raised 4 boys, many of those years as a single mother. I’ve been married to my husband for 10 years and gained a bonus son in the process. I returned to Maine in 2018 to buy the Agora Grand Event Center and the Inn at the Agora.