The City of Bangor announced late Friday that it has settled a lawsuit brought by Metro Treatment of Maine, a Bangor methadone clinic that wants to expand.
In August, the city denied the expansion plans, saying that the methadone clinic failed to demonstrate a need for the expansion as required by a local ordinance dealing with methadone treatment. Metro Treatment filed suit, alleging that the ordinance was discriminatory.
As part of the settlement, Assistant City Solicitor Paul Nicklas says the lawsuit will be dismissed and the ordinance will be repealed at an upcoming city council meeting. After that, Nicklas says the clinic is free pursue its plans.
“As long as they meet whatever requirements the state has,” he says. “They have to secure state approval, too.”
Earlier this month a federal judge found the ordinance “facially discriminatory.” The judge also said that the ordinance violated the Americans with Disabilities Act because it singled out medical treatment for a protected class of people, in this case individuals with substance use disorder.
Under the settlement, each party is released from paying any damages.
