PORTLAND — District 3 City Councilor Dan Skolnik agreed Monday in District Court to pay a fine for driving with a suspended license.

Skolnik is also scheduled to appear in court again on Jan. 26, where he is expected to contest a charge that his auto insurance lapsed.

Skolnik said Tuesday that he was charged with operating after suspension last June by the Maine State Police because he failed to pay a previous fine for an inspection or insurance violation. He could not recall the exact charge.

“Following that, I immediately went home and paid everything,” Skolnik said Tuesday. “But like a total knucklehead, I forgot to pay the $35 license reimbursement fee.”

Because he did not pay that fee, Skolnik said, on Sept. 20 he was charged again with OAS when he was pulled over on the Casco Bay Bridge by a South Portland police officer because he was traveling on a flat tire. South Portland police said Skolnik was cited for registration, insurance and inspection violations.

Skolnik contested the insurance and OAS charges, but said he decided to pay the OAS fine because the district attorney’s office agreed to drop the June OAS charge. The district attorney’s spokeswoman, Tamara Getchell, was not available for comment on Tuesday.

Skolnik, an attorney, said a friend drove him to appointments while his license was suspended.

Skolnik was elected to the council in 2007; his term expires this year. He is also chairman of the city’s Public Safety Committee and serves on the Health and Recreation and Appointments committees.

Kate Bucklin can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 106 or kbucklin@theforecaster.net