Council moves to pursue delinquent meals tax from Club Car; owner to be invited to next meeting

PARKSLEY, Va. — The Parksley Town Council voted June 8 to pursue collection of delinquent meals tax from a downtown restaurant, the Club Car, and discussed enforcement options and previous payment arrangements with the owner.

Councilman Vince Savona made the motion to collect delinquent meals taxes from the Club Car. Councilman Frank Russell said he had spoken with the owner and that a payment plan had been set up in November 2018; Russell said the owner "had made payments for several months" and later characterized prior recoveries as "$40,000 or $50,000, or some large amount of money." Mayor Wayne Marshall said the owner should be allowed to address the council at the next meeting.

Council members debated whether shutting down the business would be productive; Russell said closing the restaurant could simply move customers elsewhere. Councilman John Parks noted that meals taxes are money the owner collects on behalf of the town and is not an operating expense.

The minutes record no final enforcement step beyond the motion to pursue collection and an invitation for the owner to appear. Specific delinquency amounts, payment-plan terms, or enforcement timelines are not listed in the minutes.