City clerk proposes Mount Vernon domestic partnership registry to retain local services and fees

The City Clerk asked the council to adopt an ordinance creating a domestic partnership registry that would be administered by the clerk's office. The clerk said Mount Vernon currently refers residents to the county for registration and that keeping the service local could retain revenue for the city and simplify access for residents. "To me that seems like a potential loss of revenue because the county gets the money and we don't as a city," the clerk said.

The clerk noted that similar registries exist in Yonkers and New York City and offered to provide ceremonies for registrants who request them. The council placed the ordinance on the agenda for the upcoming meeting.