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Functions
The Town of Pomfret is a local unit of the State of New York founded in 1808. It administers local laws and acts as agent for the State.
The Town Clerk is elected by the citizens of the Town for a four-year term. The Deputy Town Clerk serves at the pleasure of the Town Clerk.
The Clerk is responsible for recording the minutes of the Town Council, managing Town funds, and archiving Town documents including tax assessment records.
The Town Archives include early nineteenth century records for the adjacent towns of Sheridan, Hanover, and Dunkirk which were created from the Town of Pomfret during that period.
BIRTH, MARRIAGE, AND DEATH CERTIFICATES (VITAL RECORDS) http://www.health.state.ny.us/vital_records/ The Clerk, as Registrar of Vital Records, is responsible for issuing Birth Certificates in the Town exclusive of the totally-included Village of Fredonia. (This function is performed by the Village Clerk.) Few births have been recorded in the Town since Brooks Memorial Hospital was constructed in the adjacent City of Dunkirk in 1898. Most births of Town of Pomfret residents are recorded in the Dunkirk City Clerk's office. No hospitals currently exist in the Town of Pomfret. Any Town or City Clerk in New York State can issue Marriage Licenses for solemnization ceremonies in any location in New York State. Both the Bride and the Groom must appear before the Clerk. Birth certificates, baptismal records, naturalization records, or census records must be presented to establish birth date, and driver's licenses, passports, employment picture ID's, or immigration records establish identity. Divorce decrees from all previous marriages of both partners must be presented. Marriage licenses must be requested at least twenty-four hours before a marriage solemnization. A new license must be secured if more than sixty days passes since the old license is secured. US or town citizenship is not a requirement for a marriage license in New York State. No blood test is required. The fee is forty dollars. A Certificate of Marriage is mailed to the couple after the solemnizing official signs the license.
THE CLERK ASKS APPLICANTS FOR MARRIAGE LICENSES TO TELEPHONE IN ADVANCE TO SCHEDULE A HALF-HOUR APPOINTMENT. The Clerk issues Death Certificates describing individuals who die within the Town of Pomfret exclusive of the Village of Fredonia. (The Village Clerk records deaths within the Village of Fredonia.) Most Death Certificates for residents of the Town of Pomfret are issued by the Dunkirk City Clerk, where Brooks Memorial Hospital is located. Newton Memorial Hospital, a County-operated tuberculosis and chronic diseases hospital, operated in the Town during the mid-twentieth century, and the Death Certificate archives include death records reported by that hospital. The Clerk issues Burial Transit Permits to morticians to permit legal movement of cadavers across the Town borders.
DOG LICENSES http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/licensing.html Every dog over the age of four months located within the Town of Pomfret must be registered with the Clerk.. Every licensed dog must have a certificate of rabies immunization issued by a licensed veterinarian. The license must be renewed annually at a fee of five dollars for spayed or neutered dogs and thirteen dollars for unspayed or unneutered dogs. Dog Control Officers are employed by both the Town of Pomfret and the Village of Fredonia. These officers impound captured unlicensed dogs in animal hospitals until the dogs are immunized against rabies infection and licensing and impounding fees are paid. No individual resident may maintain more than four dogs at a single address.
HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/license/ Throughout the year, the Clerk issues hunting and fishing licenses of different classes for hunting and fishing throughout New York State. Both state residents and nonresidents are eligible for different classes of licenses. Applicants must present photo identification, such as drivers' licenses, evidence of sportsman education, and payments to qualify for these licenses. The Clerk offers Deer Management Permits to licensed hunters for the Fall deer-hunting season offered through a state-operated computerized lottery system from mid-August through September of each year. State Environmental Conservation Officers police New York State hunting and fishing.
WATER AND SEWER BILLING - Water & Sewer Billing Clerk (Denise Scott) The Town of Pomfret operates nine water and sewer districts within the Town. Each district is funded independently by usage fees specific to that district. The Water - Sewer Billing Clerk handles billing and questions related to this service. Call Denise Scott at (716) 672-6888 with any questions. The districts are Berry Road Water District including Johnson Street and Martha's Vineyard Drive, the Johnson Street Sewer District, the Martha's Vineyard Drive Sewer District, the Chestnut Road Water District, the Van Buren Water District (Sewer service in Van Buren is provided by the Portland-Pomfret District, a County of Chautauqua operation.), the Lily Dale Sewer District, the Route 60 Water and Sewer District, the Route 20 Water and Sewer District, and the Lakeview Avenue Sewer District.
HANDICAPPED PARKING PERMITS The Clerk issues both temporarily- and permanently-handicapped parking permits upon physician completion of an application. Many physicians have these forms in their offices. These forms can also be supplied by the Clerk. Applicants must appear in the Clerk's office. 1) Temporarily-handicapped parking permits are issued for six months. They are not renewable. 2) Permanently-handicapped parking permits are issued for three years. The applicant must reappear in the office to request subsequent permits. No additional medical certification is required. There is no charge for either class of handicapped parking permits.
CEMETERIES The Town operates seven cemeteries: Forest Hill, Kelley Hill, Laona, Pomfret Pioneer, Town Line, Webster Street, and West Main Street. For grave lot purchase, grave opening, and records information in Forest Hill Cemetery, contact the sexton, Audrey Smoyer (716-672-7156). Contact the sexton, Michaelene Comerford (716-679-7185), for the remaining cemeteries.
GENEALOGICAL SERVICES The Clerk is able to search the Town archives for birth, marriage, death, and tax assessment records.. Transcripts of these records can be purchased for twenty-two dollars each. Generally fifty years must have passed since marriage or death before genealogical copies can be issued. Seventy-five years must have passed since birth before genealogical copies of birth certificates can be issued. The individuals themselves or direct descendants can obtain copies before these dates as can individuals authorized by court order. |