LEWISTON – The city’s next representative to the Androscoggin County Commission will take office free of the ongoing controversy that has spread to the state’s highest offices, vows the chairman of the county’s Democratic committee.

On Sunday, local Democrats plan to choose nominees to the three-member county commission in a citywide caucus. Those nominees’ names will be forwarded to Gov. John Baldacci, who plans to appoint a new commissioner.

Yet, somebody is already sitting in the seat.

Helen Poulin, who was elected to office in 2006, has pledged to remain in office despite Baldacci’s planned action and a formal opinion from state Attorney General Steven Rowe that Poulin technically gave up her seat when she moved out of Lewiston.

“I’m confident that the issue will be resolved by the start of the year,” said Will Fessenden, chairman of the Androscoggin County Democrat Committee. “One way or the other.”

Already, at least six people have made serious inquiries about the county role, Fessenden said. Among them are James Handy, a member of the Lewiston School Committee, and Fred Sanborn, a former mayoral candidate in Auburn who has since moved to Lewiston.

Handy, who also served in the Maine Legislature, said Monday he isn’t worried about the controversy.

“I’ve been in politics long enough to develop a thick skin,” he said.

The debate over Poulin’s status began in August. Poulin and her husband, County Treasurer Robert Poulin, left the county’s third district and moved to Auburn, located in the second district.

On Nov. 17, minutes after receiving Rowe’s eight-page opinion, Baldacci issued a request for nominees for the seat.

Two days later, Poulin vowed that only a judge would remove her from office.

The Democrats who caucus on Sunday will nominate her replacement anyway. The meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Lewiston Middle School.

All voters and nominees must already be included among Lewiston’s registered Democrats. Fessenden plans to have a new, certified copy of the voter list from the Secretary of State’s office at the caucus.

Plans call for nominations to be made, followed by time for each nominee to campaign for the job of commissioner, Fessenden said.

The three nominees will then be chosen by secret ballot.

Fessenden’s aim: To make sure Lewiston has representation again.

Poulin has argued that she never stopped representing the city, saying her move to Auburn was merely temporary and that she intends to return to Lewiston.

Her new house – an 11-room home on Auburn’s Vickery Road – is up for sale. It is listed with Realtor Brenda Fontaine for an asking price of $425,000.