SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Two South Portland low-budget motels are fighting to keep their businesses open weeks after the city shut them down.
Knight’s Inn and Maine Motel are located off of Main Street in South Portland, and the owners of both motels say that they don’t know what they would do if their businesses close.
“It’s surprising to us to hear that after 12 years. … It’s going to be very hard to hear that news,” Javed Dhamdachhawala, co-owner of Maine Motel, said.
“If this is when we close then all of my late life [plans] and retirement would be screwed up,” Kantilal Patel, owner of Knight’s Inn, said.
[2 motels sue city after threat to drop lodging license]
South Portland police say Police Chief Ed Googins recommended to the City Council to not renew the business licenses of both establishments after illegal incidents allegedly kept happening. They say both motels experienced problems such as prostitution and drug overdoses. The council approved the recommendation with a vote of 5-2 for Knight’s Inn, and a unanimous vote of 7-0 for the Maine Motel.
Owners of the motels disagree that the problems have been that serious.
“We have been running this motel since 2006, and we have never ever had any kind of problem,” Jarina Kathawala, co-owner of Maine Motel, said.
When asked about the documented calls for police to their facility, Kathawala said that the calls they have made weren’t in their control.
“People come, register, and go to the room. Inside the room, what they do, we won’t know, we won’t be able to know,” Kathawala said.
Patel at Knight’s Inn says that the move by council isn’t the proper way to treat businesses bringing in tax revenue for the city.
“It’s not the right decision to approach your people, your residents, your business owners, with denying licenses and these kind of things,” Patel said.
A local judge agreed with the motel owners, and blocked council’s decision temporarily until city councilors can discuss the issue at length during an upcoming meeting.
Motel owners say they’re willing to do anything to prove that they can stay open and clean. Kathawala says he wants to meet with Chief Googins and discuss an agreement where the motels can stay open if they meet certain conditions.
“We’re here to help. We will help. Whatever condition whatever restriction. It’s not something you just punish people for. You give people a chance,” Kathawala said.
She says the Maine Motel has already complied with previous requests by police, including security cameras around the perimeter of the building.
On Tuesday night, the South Portland council voted unanimously to postpone their discussion on the future of both the Knight’s Inn and the Maine Motel until their June 19 meeting. Mayor Linda Cohen said the postponement is happening because of a lawsuit against the city by the owners of the motel. Mayor Cohen says there will be a meeting on June 14 between the owners of the motels and city council for a “judicial settlement conference.”
David Lourie, the lawyer for both properties, says the postponement is a step forward but is still disappointing.
“This should have been settled tonight. [City councilors] should know by now that it was wrong to deny these families their businesses, and I am confident both motels will stay open,” Lourie said.
He says the city is also unfairly targeting the owners of the motels when they’re not doing anything illegal.
“They held these people strictly liable for things of which they had no knowledge or control over, and that was done by their patrons. If it were done by their employees that would make some sense but it’s not,” Lourie said.
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