Highest priority, ongoing
Keep the sand on the beach
Continue an active beach re-nourishment program with the GLO and the USACE, which has had successful re-nourishments in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
- 2021269,250 cu yd
- 2023238,699 cu yd
- 2024156,750 cu yd
Re-elect · Mayor of South Padre Island
Patrick McNULTY
Keep Our Island Moving Forward, Together
From day one, my goal has been simple: to make our Island an even better place to live, work, and play.
Patrick McNulty Mayor of South Padre Island since 2019
Meet Patrick
A builder, a broker, and your neighbor
I was elected to be your Mayor in 2019 and have been serving the Island for the past seven years. While there have been many challenges, our city council has been focused on quality of life capital improvements while being fiscally conservative with your tax dollar.
As a business owner in construction, real estate, and hospitality, as well as a long time resident and parent, I understand the uniqueness of the Island and its dimensions. I have the ability to work with all to make SPI the best it can be.
Leadership experience
- Mayor, City of South Padre Island, since 2019
- Past Chairman of Planning and Zoning, served over 10 years
- Shoreline Task Force Member, past
- Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee
- Capital Improvements Committee, past
Business experience
- VP, Villas of South Padre Development
- Texas Real Estate Broker
- Owner of Willis Development & Construction
- Partner, Tequila Sunset Bar & Grill
- Founding Partner of SPI Rentals
Stewardship
The reserves, 2019 to 2026
A conservative approach to the taxpayer’s money, spent on quality of life and saved for what the Island will need next. Every figure below comes from the City’s fund balances.
Total reserves, 2019
$11.42M
Total reserves, 2026
$0.00M
Up 400.26 percent across six funds
2026
2019
-
Hotel / Motel Tax Fund
Excess reserves. State regulated use for tourism purposes.
$19,756,478from −$909,440
From a deficit
-
Venue Tax Fund
Only allowed use is 2016 voter approved projects.
$17,384,124from $4,285,700
+305.63%
-
Beach Re-Nourishment Fund
The sand that keeps the Island an island.
$7,665,087from $3,232,805
+137.10%
-
Convention Center Reserves
Exclusive use for Convention Center repairs and renovations.
$5,725,934from $2,541,126
+125.33%
-
Beach Maintenance Fund
Excess reserves above the City charter six month requirement.
$3,515,275from $1,430,358
+145.76%
-
General Fund
Excess reserves above the City charter six month requirement.
$3,069,504from $836,781
+266.82%
Figures as published by the campaign from City fund balances. Totals are excess reserves above the City charter six month requirement where noted. The Hotel / Motel Tax Fund began 2019 in a deficit of $909,440, which is counted in the 2019 total.
The Record
What seven years built
Beaches re-nourished, streets rebuilt with curbs and sidewalks, parks expanded, and new bay and beach accesses opened. Completed work, with the dollars beside it.
Quality of life investments
Total invested since 2019$27,502,973.92
-
Street Improvements
$9,417,951.46
-
Beach Re-nourishment
$6,553,478.80
-
Bay Access Improvements
$4,998,953.00
-
Beach Access Improvements
$4,807,477.64
-
Park Improvements & Additions
$1,084,113.00
Completed and committed investment across the five programs below, itemized in the chapters that follow.
01
Beaches and shoreline
Without the best beach in Texas, our economy would not exist. Since 2019 the City has moved 664,699 cubic yards of sand back onto the beach and opened four new or rebuilt beach accesses.
-
664,699 cubic yards
Beach re-nourishment in partnership with the GLO and the USACE. Total cost $6,553,478.80, with a City investment of $1,198,636.69.
- 2021 dredge, 269,250 cubic yards. Total $2,040,000, City share $382,500.
- 2023 dredge, 238,699 cubic yards. Total $2,115,478.80, City share $396,652.28.
- 2024 emergency dredge, 156,750 cubic yards. Total approximately $2,398,000, City share $419,484.41, awaiting final billing from USACE.
Land acquisition
S ½ of Tract 21
Bought outright so a future beach access and parking are already in the City’s hands for when our Island’s growth demands them, instead of paying tomorrow’s price.
$350,000one-time purchase
-
Access #8
Whitecap Circle
Parking, bathrooms and an ADA dune walkover.
$1,263,862.99 $200,000 in grants
-
Access #5
Sea Island Circle
Bathrooms and rehabilitation of the ADA dune walkover.
$1,664,184.50 $120,000 in grants
-
Access #22
Fantasy Circle
Permanent restroom, rinse station, parking improvements, an ADA dune walkover and a wooden emergency vehicle drive-over.
$915,718.02 $317,717.98 in grants
-
Access #16
Neptune Circle
Permanent restroom, rinse station, parking improvements and an ADA dune walkover.
$963,712.13 $330,000 in grants
-
Shovel ready
Harbor, Bluewater and Day Dream Circle
ADA engineering completed at accesses #1, #9 and #12, so construction can start as matching funds become available.
$230,475.00 $138,285.00 in grants
-
Waterways
First new boat ramp in 30 years
Built with on site parking, using a RESTORE Grant administered by TCEQ for $2,408,415, about seventy five percent of the cost. Land for the ramp, the Marisol Laguna Madre site, was negotiated at $1,193,125 with the grant covering seventy five percent.
$3,223,061 $2,408,415 in grants
-
Dredging
Tompkin’s Pleasure Channel and SeaHorse Harbor
26,558 cubic yards dredged.
$1,775,892
02
Streets and drainage
Side streets redesigned for better drainage and parking, with curbs, gutters and sidewalks. $2,438,691.65 invested to date.
-
$6,530,922.31
Reconstruction of Laguna Blvd., including a protected leisure travel lane for walking, biking and running that completes a loop with the Gulf Blvd. leisure travel lane.
Rebuilt block by block
Six side streets redesigned with new curbs, gutters and sidewalks.
$2,438,691.65invested to date
- E. Mars Dr. E ½
- W. Morningside Dr.
- Laguna Circle S.
- E. Bahama St.
- E. Retama St.
- W. Lantana St.
Completed
Padre Blvd. medians
The Padre Blvd. Median Landscape Project: redesigned, replanted and lit along the length of the corridor.
$448,337.50invested
03
Parks and quality of life
Places for Island families, built with grants and partners wherever they could be found.
Wind & Water Sports Park
119.43 acres
Negotiated the conversion of a 50 year lease on the Wind Water Sports Park property into outright ownership, an investment of $895,725.
-
$305,195.92
Skate park
Tompkin’s Park
Built with a Texas Parks & Wildlife grant and a GoFundMe of approximately $25,275.
-
$295,353.00
Shade where it was needed
Tompkin’s Park
Shade for the basketball courts, including a $125,000.00 Texas Parks and Wildlife grant, plus $97,000.00 of shade over the playground.
-
$220,950
Three pickleball courts
Historic Museum
Three courts with a bathroom, a South Padre Island investment.
-
$7,105
A musical caterpillar
Butterfly Park
A musical caterpillar and butterfly structure, plus a special donation from Lynne Tate.
04
Governance and planning
The unglamorous work that keeps a small city steady.
-
2024
Island Way Comprehensive Plan
Completed the roadmap the City now follows for how our Island grows.
-
2020
Open for business
Developed a plan with City Council to keep South Padre Island open for business while other beach communities were closing during the COVID emergency.
-
Ordinances
A full review
A comprehensive review of all ordinances through an ad hoc committee, updating them to conform with State law.
-
Tourism
The Island on parade
Created the South Padre Island Tourism Float, seen in the McAllen Christmas Parade and the San Antonio Fiesta Parade, televised into millions of households every year.
Next Term
Keep OUR Island moving forward, TOGETHER
Quality of life improvements with a conservative financial approach to making South Padre Island a better place to live, work and play.
-
Underway Now
Side street improvements
Continue the focus on side streets, redesigning them for better drainage and parking with curbs, gutters and sidewalks. Future improvements:
- E. Constellation 80%
- E. Georgia Ruth Dr. 5%
- W. Gardenia St.
- W. Capricorn Dr.
- W. Esperanza St.
- E. Gardenia St.
- W. Acapulco St.
- W. Marlin St.
-
Completion Aug 2026
Historic Museum pickleball
Pickleball courts at the South Padre Island Historic Museum.
-
Construction starts Sep 2026
Wind and Water Sports Park
Completion of the Wind and Water Sports Park on the 119.43 acres the City now owns outright.
Water Tower Park pickleball
Develop three pickleball courts at the Water Tower Park.
-
Tentative construction 2028
The second access
Continue working with the RGV MPO, TxDOT commissioners and Cameron County to progress the 2nd Access to the Island. One bridge on and off the Island is the single biggest constraint the Island lives with.
-
On the list Planned
Gateway median rehabilitation
Landscape rehabilitation at the gateway to South Padre Island, adding native Texas trees, planting and lighting. Estimated construction cost $1,224,460.65, with $567,160.67 already set aside in the TIRZ fund.
Convention center
A fiscally responsible renovation of the existing convention center, and a possible annex, using hotel occupancy tax and venue tax.
Voter approved venue projects
Continue progress on the projects Island voters approved in 2016.
Off season sports tourism
Increase youth sports tourism to encourage indoor sports activities in the off-season.
Land for what comes next
Possible land acquisition for future real estate needs of the City.