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Palmyra council votes to make borough offices cashless starting Jan. 1, 2027
Summary
The Palmyra Borough Council approved a motion to stop accepting cash at borough offices beginning Jan. 1, 2027, citing safety and administrative concerns; residents and a public commenter urged the council to preserve access for people without bank accounts.
Palmyra Borough Council approved a policy to stop accepting cash payments at borough offices beginning Jan. 1, 2027, after a period of community notice and transition.
The council debated the switch at its meeting, with staff and councilors citing safety concerns about holding cash and administrative hurdles tied to handling pennies and reconciling cash receipts. Council members and staff noted alternatives for residents, including checks, money orders and electronic payments; staff said an electronic-check transaction runs about $1.50 while credit- or debit-card transactions carry a roughly 2.95% fee. One council member said some customers have brought more than $5,000 in cash to the office, which contributed to the safety argument.
The motion to implement a cashless policy effective Jan. 1, 2027 was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. Councilors said implementation will be phased in with public notice through the borough website, newsletters and the electronic sign so residents have time to adapt.
During public comment, Chris Coons of 209 West Oak Street opposed removing cash payments and urged the council to account for residents who lack checking accounts or cards. Coons suggested alternatives such as accepting only exact-change cash or making special accommodations for residents without electronic payment methods. The council did not rescind the vote but indicated it will provide a transition period and public information about options such as recurring bank payments.
The council and staff said they will continue to accept money orders and encourage setting up recurring payments through residents' financial institutions to avoid card transaction fees. The meeting record indicates staff will undertake outreach and education ahead of the planned January start date.
The council handled the cashless policy as a voice vote; no roll-call tally by name was recorded in the meeting transcript. The council also noted neighboring communities already operate without cash at borough/town offices, and members framed the change as aligning Palmyra with those practices.
The council adjourned after completing the night's business; additional items on the agenda included zoning and street-sweeping matters.
