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Palmyra council approves amendments to 2015 fire-loan guarantee, grant application and seasonal road closures
Summary
The Palmyra Borough Council approved a resolution to amend a 2015 fire-company loan guarantee after neighboring township signaled intent to prepay its share, authorized an LSA grant application for a sewer truck, continued annual apparatus funding, and approved two community road closures.
Palmyra Borough Council on March 31 approved a set of routine and substantive measures, including an amendment to a 2015 guarantee on a $4.6 million fire-company loan that will allow a neighboring township to prepay its 50% share without remaining liability.
The council voted to adopt Resolution 2026-19 to authorize amendment of the guarantee agreement after bond counsel Ben Reed told the council the township contacted its bank indicating a desire to prepay. Reed said the change is intended to remove the township from future liability after payoff and that the borough’s obligations would not increase as a result. “Now the guarantee agreement itself doesn't obligate the borough of the township to make payments, but there's an understanding … that the borough and the township are each paying 50%,” Ben Reed said.
In a housekeeping action tied to a planned equipment purchase, the council approved Resolution 2026-20 authorizing application for a Local Share Assessment (LSA) grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority for a sewer truck and updating designated signatories to reflect current borough officials. Councilors said the update was needed because the truck model year in the prior resolution differed from the unit being purchased and because signing officials had changed since the earlier application.
The council also approved a funding agreement to maintain a $75,000 annual apparatus contribution through 2031 to support Citizens Fire Company No. 1’s purchase of a Seagrave engine. Members discussed long lead times for custom fire apparatus — typically three to five years — and the need to plan early; one councilor noted that older units no longer have available parts and could affect ISO ratings. The motion to preserve the current apparatus funding level passed.
Two community event road closures — for the Seltzer Smokehouse Meets Carnival on May 23 and for the Palmyra Civic Baseball opening-day parade on April 11 — were authorized by motion and approved without objection.
What happens next: Borough staff and bond counsel will finalize amendment documents and provide final certificates and solicitor review before any township payoff is accepted. The LSA application and apparatus funding will proceed under existing administrative timelines.
