Mount Vernon council reviews OpenGov contract to customize fire department inspection forms

The Mount Vernon City Council on a short agenda discussed an ordinance to authorize the mayor to contract with OpenGov for a customized inspection environment for the Fire Department. Commissioner Perez told the council the department has been using the OpenGov platform’s general permitting and form capabilities but “they do need customization specifically for what they do within the fire department.”

The proposal is meant to add tailored forms and file-upload features the department needs to complete inspections and “provide better services to the public,” Perez said. When asked whether other Westchester communities use OpenGov for fire inspections, Perez said he would “go back and double check” and committed to providing an answer by Wednesday.

Corporation counsel reviewed the document trail and council members discussed whether to mark the ordinance agenda-pending while counsel completes its review. Later in the meeting a councilmember reported that Commissioner Perez confirmed New York City uses OpenGov for its fire department, and the item was changed from agenda-pending to placed on the agenda.

No vote or contract signature was recorded in the transcript; council members asked for follow-up details that include which municipalities use the system and the precise scope of customization the city would purchase. The council will revisit the ordinance after the requested confirmations and counsel review.