Monticello, NY – The Sullivan County Clerk’s Office continues to operate during the Coronavirus outbreak. While the office and the DMV are closed to public visitation, dropboxes at the entrance to the Government Center are regularly checked, and transactions continue to be processed.
“We are open every day with a drastically reduced staff that is practicing safe social distancing, and they are taking every precaution available,” County Clerk Russell Reeves affirms. “Currently, deeds, license renewals, registration renewals and plate surrenders are being processed through the dropbox.”
“During these times, people are struggling financially, and we realize the only way to cancel an automobile insurance policy is to turn in the vehicle plates, so we are working to make these services as accessible as possible to the public under these extreme circumstances,” he adds.
As a constitutional office, the Clerk’s Office files all County states of emergency, and by court administrative order, the office remains available for emergency mental hygiene filings, guardianship matters, coronavirus-related emergency applications, election law applications and other court-essential civil filings.
“People still need to move into new and often needed living spaces, so we are processing deeds and transactions for land sales as quickly as we can,” Reeves says. “My staff continues to answer the phones and address questions and concerns of our County residents while providing guidance and assistance the best they can.”
Pistol permit amendments are also being processed, and the office is working to provide important information on any SAFE Act changes.
Meanwhile, the DMV is operating with a staff of only the current Deputy and Administrator. All registrations, driver’s licenses and inspections that expired in March have been extended until further notice. Enhanced driver’s licenses and Real IDs have also been extended an additional year until October 2021.
“This office remains one of only a few DMV offices in New York State that is still taking phone calls to address our Sullivan County constituents’ concerns and needs,” Reeves explains. “The Governor has approved automobile dealers as essential services, and the DMV office has been processing these transactions, which helps to continue bringing much-needed revenue back into the County.”
Reeves adds, “If you are a Sullivan County healthcare worker, firefighter, EMS, grocery store worker, delivery driver, or any other essential employee out there saving lives and working on the front lines to keep our County moving and functioning, we will do everything we can to help you so you can continue to serve the public.”
The Clerk’s Office will continue to handle transactions via electronic submission, dropbox and mail without person-to-person contact.
“We are in the process of a soft launch of our DMV Remote Access Transaction System, which has been working well so far,” Reeves states. “This system allows the public to remotely work on their documents while interacting with a DMV representative. We plan to continue to use this system in the future to make the DMV experience more efficient and better for our residents. We will also be approaching the State with this system as a way to help people with their transactions remotely without face-to-face contact.”
“I am thankful for my dedicated staff who continue to do their part in these times, as well as all the essential workers who we, as County residents, so very much depend on.”