Council approves 10-month payment plans for two hotel owners after partial payments; checks must clear or injunction could be enforced

The South Padre Island City Council on a voice vote agreed to structured payment plans for two hotel owners who arrived at the meeting with partial or full payments toward long‑standing past‑due hotel/motel occupancy-tax balances and who requested waivers of penalties and interest.

City staff told the council that as of the meeting one owner (the Ramada/Island Inn properties) had an outstanding balance including penalties and interest of roughly $447,000 to $448,000 and that he paid $363,835.93 by cashier’s check that day. Staff said the remaining balance consisted principally of penalties (about $51,000) and interest (about $32,000) totaling about $84,000. The owner asked the council to waive penalties and interest; council members discussed precedent and fairness to other businesses before amending a motion to…