By EDWARD HUSAR
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
Mayor John Spring still hasn't decided whether to revoke or suspend the hotel operator's license of Country Inn and Suites for non-payment of its hotel-motel taxes last year.
Spring said Wednesday he was still waiting to see the transcript and review the evidence from the city's May 27 license-revocation hearing before rendering a decision.
Spring said he will likely make an announcement early next week -- possibly Monday.
Spring initially thought he'd issue a ruling within a day or two of the hearing, but he said it took longer than expected to receive a transcript of the testimony from the hour-long session.
He said he plans to be out of town for a couple of days and won't finish putting together his formal ruling until early next week.
Spring served as the hearing officer for a complaint filed by City Attorney Anthony B. Cameron against Quincy Hotel LLC, the corporation doing business as Country Inn and Suites, 110 N. 54th.
Evidence and testimony at the hearing indicated the hotel's management failed to turn over to the city $87,496 in hotel-motel taxes owed for the period April through November of 2008. The company also owes the city $4,373 in penalties along with an undetermined amount of interest.
Mike Hill, managing member of Quincy Hotel LLC, told The Herald-Whig last week he planned to remit all overdue hotel-motel taxes owed by the hotel "by Monday or Tuesday" of this week. Hill subsequently told the mayor he would make good on the overdue payments by Wednesday of this week.
However, as of 3 p.m. Thursday, no payments had been made, according to City Treasurer Peggy Crim.
Country Inn and Suites could be forced to shut down if Spring decides to permanently revoke the license.
Testimony at last week's hearing showed the hotel has been operating without a license since its previous annual license expired Nov. 30. Crim, who issues licenses, said the City Code specifies a license may not be renewed if a hotel is in arrears on its hotel-motel tax payments.
In an interview earlier this year, Cameron said a business that formerly operated with a valid license won't lose the ability to operate until it is given "due process," which includes a hearing to explain why the operator's license should not be revoked or suspended.
In a related matter, an attorney representing the corporation is scheduled to appear in Adams County Circuit Court June 11 to respond to a lawsuit filed by the city. The suit seeks fines and penalties in excess of $156,000 from Country Inn and Suites for non-payment of hotel-motel taxes.
The suit specifically relates to $10,890 in hotel-motel taxes the hotel collected in May 2008 and which it should have turned over to the city treasurer by June 30, 2008, but didn't.
The City Code provides a minimum penalty of $500 per offense and $500 for each day the violation continues. The suit asks the court to assess a per-diem fine of not less than $156,000 based on non-payment for at least 312 days. The city also is requesting the court to order the hotel to pay the taxes owed for May 2008 along with interest, which totals 2 percent a month.
-- ehusar@whig.com/221-3378
