Mt. Vernon mayor, comptroller face off over unpaid bills

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MOUNT VERNON – An ongoing battle inside Mount Vernon City Hall has left city police and fire vehicles without fuel to operate and Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard has taken the City Comptroller to court to straighten it out.

The feud between the mayor and Comptroller Deborah Reynolds has been brewing for months, with the comptroller refusing to give the mayor or the city council any financial updates or even an overview of the budget situation.  Most recently, Mount Vernon police, fire, and sanitation services were unable to fuel up vehicles because the suppliers were owed substantial amounts of money.

At a Westchester County Supreme Court hearing on Wednesday, Judge Anne Minihan heard evidence from the mayor, city council, and others, as well as Reynolds.

As a result of the hearing, Judge Minahan signed a temporary restraining order on Thursday mandating that Reynolds pay the two fuel suppliers by noon on Friday, April 2.  Sprague Operating Resources is owed $71,949.71 and United Metro Energy Corp. is owed $72,987.13 for fuel delivery.

The Judge said in part that the order is “To insure the interim delivery of fuel for the operation of City of Mount Vernon fire vehicles, police vehicles, ambulance, and sanitation vehicles.”

On Thursday, Mayor Patterson-Howard attempted to meet with Reynolds in the comptroller’s office to present the bills to be paid.  According to the mayor, Reynolds called the police saying the mayor and others “stormed” her office.  Patterson-Howard said that Thursday’s attempt for an appointment was because Reynolds has refused 10 previous requests for the same in the last three months.




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