Mount Vernon mayor declares state of emergency over $500K in unpaid bills

The mayor of one of Westchester’s largest cities has declared a state of emergency after its entire fleet of police, fire and garbage vehicles was put out of service due to more than $500,000 in unpaid invoices.

Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard made the declaration Thursday, calling it a “public health and safety crisis that has threatened the public health of the City of Mount Vernon.” She blamed “gross negligence and dereliction of duty” by Comptroller Deborah Reynolds in failing to “process and pay” the invoices for “critical parts and maintenance of police, fire and public works vehicles.”