The mayor of Mount Vernon, NY is Shawyn Patterson-Howard, now in her second four-year term after winning re-election in 2023. She is the city’s 30th mayor and its chief executive, running day-to-day municipal operations under authority granted by the City Charter.1City of Mount Vernon, New York. Mayor’s Office
About Shawyn Patterson-Howard
Patterson-Howard took office on January 1, 2020, after a landslide win in November 2019. Her election was historic on two counts: she was the first woman elected mayor of Mount Vernon and the first African-American woman elected mayor anywhere in Westchester County.1City of Mount Vernon, New York. Mayor’s Office Her 2023 re-election was the first time a sitting Mount Vernon mayor had won a second term in 20 years.
Her background is in social services. She previously served as President and CEO of the Yonkers Family YMCA, and she holds a bachelor’s in social work from Howard University and a master’s in social work from Hunter College.
What the Mayor Does
The City Charter vests all executive power in the mayor. In practice, that authority runs through three main channels.
Appointments
The mayor directly appoints and removes several top city officials, who serve at the mayor’s pleasure. The charter specifically names the Commissioner of Public Works, Fire Commissioner, Commissioner of Buildings, Commissioner of Public Safety, and Corporation Counsel.2City of Mount Vernon, NY. City of Mount Vernon Code – Article IV Officers and Elections These appointments do not require City Council approval, which gives the mayor direct control over public safety and infrastructure leadership.
Budget
The mayor prepares the annual city budget and chairs the Board of Estimate and Contract, the three-member body that oversees fiscal matters and sets salaries. The board’s other seats are held by the Comptroller and the President of the City Council.3City of Mount Vernon, NY. City of Mount Vernon Code – Article VII Board of Estimate and Contract – Section 70 Personnel of the Board of Estimate and Contract If the Council President becomes Acting Mayor, the President Pro Tempore takes that board seat so the three-member structure stays intact.
Legislation
The mayor signs or vetoes measures passed by the City Council. A veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the Council. The mayor also executes contracts and legal instruments on behalf of the city and issues administrative directives to city employees and agencies.
Term, Eligibility, and Term Limits
The mayor serves a four-year term beginning January 1 after the November election. To run, a candidate must have been a resident elector of Mount Vernon for at least three years before the election, meaning a registered voter living inside city limits for that full period, and must be registered with the Westchester County Board of Elections.4City of Mount Vernon, NY. City of Mount Vernon Code – Article IV Officers and Elections – Section 15 Qualifications
Mount Vernon does not impose term limits on the mayor or any other elected office. A governance subcommittee that studied the question recommended against adopting limits, finding no pattern of officials serving beyond twelve years.5Mount Vernon, New York. Governance and Elections Team Purple Sub-Committee Report A mayor can keep serving as long as voters keep electing them.
Salary
The mayor’s salary is $200,000 per year. In early 2024, the City Council raised the pay from $143,000, an increase of roughly 40 percent intended to align the position with executive roles in comparable Westchester County municipalities.
How to Contact the Mayor’s Office
City Hall is at 1 Roosevelt Square North, Mount Vernon, NY 10550.6Westchester County Clerk. Mount Vernon City Hall The mayor’s office general line is (914) 665-2361. The official city website provides an email contact portal, and the office holds periodic public forums and town hall meetings.
Requesting City Records
Residents can request city records under New York’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) through an online form on the city’s website. You submit your contact information and a detailed description of the records, including dates or addresses where relevant, and you can choose in-person inspection, photocopies, or electronic copies when available. Standard requests take up to twenty business days; complex ones take longer, and copying fees apply.7City of Mount Vernon, New York. FOIL Request Online Form