Krebs says no to cash

By Marketta Johnson
Staff Writer

July 04, 2009 02:51 pm

— The City of Krebs is no longer accepting cash as payment for utilities, fines and miscellaneous permits; however, they will continue to accept checks and money orders. The program is on a 60 day trial period.
Krebs Mayor Bobby Watkins said the decision to no longer accept cash as a form of payment to the city is for security purposes.
“We have two girls down there taking payments and no security guards, Watkins said. “There gets to be quite a bit of cash down there sometimes,” Watkins said of the need for protection.
“You say it can’t happen to you, but then it does,” Watkins said referring to the recent rash of robberies nationally.
Watkins also says the check or money order system gives residents a “double receipt,” in case the original receipt is lost.
“It’s more secure and helps us run a tighter ship,” Watkins said. According to Watkins, some other cities are trying this system as well.
The new system has caught some Krebs citizens off guard.
“This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private,” one Krebs citizen quoted from the statement located on the bottom left hand corner of all U.S. paper currency. “It should be accepted,” stated the citizen.
If the city sees a large number of complaints, they will consider going back to the old way of doing things.