LYNN – The owner of Kevin’s Cultural Center is getting one more chance to make things right despite his failure to show up for a hearing last month or to pay off roughly $40,000 in back taxes.The Licensing Board voted Tuesday to allow Gary Goorahlal to hang onto his liquor license for 30 days, although technically it is still under suspension and the business remains closed.”We are looking to sell property in Trinidad,” Goorahlal told the board Tuesday. “We will sell to an uncle to pay the tax money.”Attorney Joseph Sarno said Goorahlal would like to retain possession of the license so when the issues are resolved he can sell the business with a license attached.”You have $48 a day in interest, and the fees are crushing you,” said board attorney Vincent Phelan.Phelan said he spoke to the city’s Chief Financial Officer, Richard Fortucci, and he said neither Sarno nor Goorahlal have contacted to set up a payment schedule for the back taxes.Fortucci confirmed Thursday that he still had not heard from either party.”I have to be honest, this does not sound like a plan that will come to fruition,” said Chairman Patricia Barton.Her colleague, Richard Coppinger, asked if Goorahlal had anything in writing regarding the sale of the property and its estimated property value.Goorahlal offered nothing in writing but said the property has been valued at $1.6 million in Trinidad. According to the online website coinmill.com, $1 million in Trinidad currency equals about $155,766 in U.S. currency.”What realistic chance is there that this will be resolved?” asked Coppinger.Phelan said the plan sounded great but he has nothing tangible, and he suspects that when Goorahlal comes back in 30 days he will have hit another snafu and will ask for the hearing to be continued yet again.Despite their concerns board members agreed to “reconsider the revocation” for 30 days.”I’m not sure what the detriment would be to the city,” said Sarno. “It’s under suspension anyway and I would suggest that at the end of the month we would have a better handle on this.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].
