Palmyra council elects Denver Wilson president, Shyla Snyder vice president and approves slate of reappointments

Palmyra Borough Council elected Denver Wilson as council president after a roll-call vote and named Shyla Snyder vice president, and then approved a set of routine reappointments for borough officers.

In the leadership votes, the council took nominations in order. Beth Shearer was the first nominee for council president and was defeated in a 4–3 roll-call vote. Denver Wilson was then nominated and approved by a 4–3 roll-call vote to assume the presidency. Later the council elected Shyla Snyder as vice president; that nomination passed 5–2.

After reorganizational votes the council moved through a number of personnel resolutions. The council approved Resolution 2026-01 reappointing Roger E. Powell to serve as borough manager/secretary at the discretion of council through January 2028. The council approved Resolution 2026-02 reappointing Brenda L. Perra as assistant borough manager/assistant secretary/assistant treasurer through her stated retirement date (01/05/2027) and Resolution 2026-03 reappointing Christine L. Donahue as treasurer through January 2028.

Other appointments approved included William R. Garber as zoning officer and Light Bridal Associates Incorporated as the borough’s Uniform Construction Code (UCC) building code official (Resolution 2026-04); Mike Noss, PE and Route 2 Associates for borough engineering and sanitary sewer engineering (Resolutions 2026-06 and 2026-07); Jessica Crater as a zoning hearing board member (Resolution 2026-11); and Brian C. Craig to the municipal authority (Resolution 2026-12) and as vacancy board chair (Resolution 2026-09).

The council approved a motion to allow two council members to serve on the Fire Services Commission and filled the commission seats; it also appointed borough representatives to the Western Lebanon County Regional Police Commission (Res. 2026-08) and approved appointments to the Palmyra Area Recreation and Parks Commission (Res. 2026-13), library board representative Nancy Flegal (Res. 2026-14), planning commission appointments (Res. 2026-15), and adopted the 2026 fee schedule (Res. 2026-16).

One reappointment drew recorded opposition: the motion to reappoint Jocelyn Cleary of Morgan, Hallgren, Crosswell & Kane PC as borough solicitor (Resolution 2026-05) proceeded despite a recorded set of 'No' votes; the transcript records three councilors voting no on that item.

Votes at a glance

- Election of council president: Denver Wilson elected (4–3 roll-call). - Election of vice president: Shyla Snyder elected (5–2 roll-call). - Resolution 2026-01 (appoint manager): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-02 (assistant manager): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-03 (treasurer): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-04 (zoning officer/UCC official): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-05 (borough solicitor): approved; three 'No' votes recorded during voice/roll-call. - Resolutions 2026-06 & 2026-07 (engineers): approved (voice votes). - Resolution 2026-08 (police commission reps): approved (voice/roll-call recorded unanimity in places). - Resolution 2026-09 (vacancy board chair): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-11 (zoning hearing board): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-12 (municipal authority): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-13 (parks commission): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-14 (library board rep): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-15 (planning commission): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 2026-16 (2026 fee resolution): approved (voice vote).

What’s next: The council set routine committees and appointments for 2026; the minutes and a number of reports (financial statement and delinquent account reports) will be available at the next meeting listed on the agenda.

Sources: Palmyra Borough Council meeting transcript (oaths and roll calls; resolution numbers and motions).