Lewiston officials will vote next week on a resolution requesting that the incoming City Council investigate Councilor-elect Iman Osman’s qualifications to serve based on his residence.

Lewiston officials have been under immense pressure to respond to concerns from residents over Osman’s legal address, as well as the councilor-elect’s indictment on theft charges involving two firearms.

Osman, through his attorney, has said he has no plans to step down despite several calls from local officials for him to do so.

The resolution in front of the council Tuesday states that “credible and legitimate questions have been raised by members of the public about (Osman’s) residency qualifications,” and that the city charter only grants the City Council the authority to evaluate the qualifications of a sitting councilor.

At issue is Osman’s address, which is listed as 210 Blake St.  The building has been condemned since October of last year, with no clear timeline established for Osman’s return to it, which has led to continued questions from the public regarding whether Ward 5 has true representation.

Osman has not publicly released the location of his current residence. His attorney has said Osman won’t divulge the location because he is facing harassment. Osman plans to return to the 210 Blake St. address when current renovations are complete, according to his attorney.

The state’s definition of residence for voter registration purposes is: “The residence of a person is that place where the person has established a fixed and principal home to which the person, whenever temporarily absent, intends to return.”

According to Lewiston City Clerk Kathy Montejo, the law also states the person’s residence is retained if they temporarily leave their home and go to another country, state, or place within Maine with the intent of returning.

“The council should reject this pointless resolution,” Osman’s attorney, Kiernan Majerus-Collins said Thursday. “Councilor-elect Osman’s residency is a settled issue.”

Osman was elected to the council Nov. 4 and is scheduled to be sworn in with the rest of the incoming City Council on Jan. 5, when he will have to give up his seat on the School Committee, which he has held for the past year.

Osman, 36, was indicted Dec. 1. He has been charged with one count of receiving stolen property and one count of theft by unauthorized taking. The charges stem from the alleged theft of two firearms sometime between Nov. 15, 2023, and Oct. 11, 2024.

Osman denies the charges and plans to fight them, Majerus-Collins said.