LEWISTON — More than a dozen people want to help rewrite the rules governing Androscoggin County government.

In all, 14 people have registered as candidates for the Nov. 2 election with only six seats as the prize.

“These people will be like the founding fathers for a new county government,” said Randy Greenwood, chairman of the county commission.

Candidates include former state Reps. Stavros Mendros and Scott Lansley, Livermore Falls Town Manager James Chaousis, Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce Director Chip Morrison, former Auburn City Councilor Robert Mennealy and former County Commissioner Helen Poulin.

Beginning in January, the group will be charged with coming up with a new charter, a document that would effectively replace the default of county government: state statute.

A new charter might expand the size of the current three-member commission or redesign the leadership of the county to include a paid professional administrator to manage the county.

For instance, a new charter might also fill in the vagaries of statutes, spelling out rules such as the residency of commissioners rather than leave them to interpretation.

Calls for a charter hit their peak in 2008 when Poulin, then serving as a county commissioner, moved from her elected district in Lewiston to a home in Auburn in another district.

She fought to stay in office. Interpretations of state law came from her attorney and the Maine attorney general. The case ended after Gov. John Baldacci appointed a replacement.

A charter rule might have saved time and legal costs on both sides.

The direction of a new charter will be up to the people who are elected, insisted Greenwood.

“It all depends on them,” he said.

Besides the six elected candidates, a member of the county commission will serve on the charter commission. The county commission will also appoint two others to serve, surging the total number of charter commission members to nine.

The candidates for District 1 (Durham, Greene, Leeds, Lisbon, Livermore, Livermore Falls, Sabattus, Turner and Wales) are Lansley of Sabattus, Chaousis of Livermore, Richard Gross of Turner and Deborah Moran of Greene.

The candidates for District 2 (Auburn, Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland) are James Bradley of Mechanic Falls, Mennealy of Auburn, Morrison of Auburn, George Sanborn of Poland and James Walker of Auburn.

The candidates for District 3 (Lewiston) are Richard Grandmaison, Michael James Marcotte, Mendros, Poulin and Christopher Rushton.

The four candidates for District 1 are all write-ins who have registered with the Maine Secretary of State’s office. Greenwood said they missed the filing deadline.

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