Clerk/Receiver/Registrar: Mary C. Smith, RMC Deputy Clerk/Registrar: Wendy S. Hagen  Email:  lerayclerk@nnymail.com Address: 8650 LeRay Street   Evans Mills  NY  13637-3191 Phone: 315-629-4052 Fax: 315-629-4393  Business hours: 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Mon. to Fri. (except holidays)
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Marriage Licenses Dog Licenses Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Licenses Disabled Parking Permit Water/Sewer Payments Transfer Site Tickets Elections Property Taxes FAQ's   Freedom of Information Law   The Town Clerk’s Office provides a wide range of services to Town residents.  In addition, the Town Clerk serves as the recorder of Town Board activities by producing minutes for all meetings and filing created resolutions and laws with the appropriate agencies.
Licensing & Permits
Marriage Licenses
A New York State marriage license can be obtained from the Town Clerk’s Office.  Both parties must apply in person and provide appropriate proof of age in the form of a government issued birth certificate (with a raised or multi-colored seal) or naturalization papers, and proof of identity in the form of a Driver’s License, Passport, employment picture id, or immigration record.  If it is not the first marriage, applicants must present certified documents of the dissolution of any previous marriages (i.e. divorce decree, death certificate).  Marriage licenses are not valid during the 24-hour waiting period after issuance, but are good for 60 days after that.  The license fee is $40, payable by cash or check.  Certified copies of marriage certificates may be obtained only if the original marriage license was issued from the LeRay Town Clerk’s Office.  An application form must be submitted along with photo identification and $10, payable by cash or check.   For more information on marriage licenses, please visit the New York State Department of Health website.
Dog Licenses
New York State requires that all dogs over the age of 4 months must be licensed.  The Town Clerk’s Office issues dog licenses under the authority of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.   To obtain a license, the owner must provide to the Town Clerk’s office veterinary documentation of a current rabies vaccination and, if the dog has been spayed or neutered, documentation of that.  Licensing fees are payable by cash or check:  $9.00 spayed/neutered,  $17.00 unspayed/unneutered.
Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Licenses
The Town Clerk’s Office issues hunting, fishing and trapping licenses under the authority of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  Licenses are valid October 1 through September 30, with new licenses for the following year typically becoming available for purchase in mid-August.  Fees vary and are payable by cash or check only.  Proof of New York State residency must be presented to receive licenses at state resident prices.  For additional information, please visit the New York State DEC website.
Disabled Parking Permits
Disabled parking permits are issued under the authority of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.  To obtain one, an application form must be completely filled out by the  applicant’s medical doctor (MD), doctor of Osteopathy (DO) or a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM) and appropriately describe the reasons for the mobility problem necessitating the permit be issued.  The application must have the doctor’s original signature (signatures of physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, or others are NOT allowed by the DMV).  When properly completed, the application must be presented at the Town Clerk’s Office along with the applicant’s driver’s license or non-driver ID card (if applicable).  Applicants may authorize a third party to present this information and obtain a permit on their behalf.  For additional information, please visit the New York State DMV website
Water/Sewer Payments
Water and Sewer bills are mailed throughout the year and may be paid within 30 days without penalty.  Bills paid after that will incur a 3% late payment penalty.  Payments may be made in person or mailed to the Town Clerk’s Office.
Transfer Site Tickets
The tickets needed for depositing of refuse at the Town operated Transfer and Recycling Center must be purchased at the Town Clerk’s Office.  The Center is open to Town of LeRay residents only.  Please visit the Transfer and Recycling Center page for more information
Elections
The Jefferson County Board of Elections has taken over the coordination of Primary and General Elections, establishment of polling places and transportation of voting equipment.  At the Town Clerk’s Office, voters may review polling locations and election district maps, as well as obtain voter registration forms.  Absentee ballots must be obtained from the Board of Elections.  For more information on voting and elections, visit the Jefferson County Board of Elections website.
Freedom of Information Law
The Town Clerk is the Records Access Officer of the Town and serves as custodian of all Town records.  This responsibility includes the storage and disposition of inactive records, as well as maintaining permanent archives.  Effective January 1, 1978, the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) provided citizens with the right to access certain government records.  Requests for documents available under FOIL should be submitted to the Town Clerk’s Office in writing using the FOIL Request Form.  All applicants will receive some form of response within five business days.  If the request can be fulfilled within that time frame, the applicant will be notified it is complete and be provided with the total costs due.  If additional time is required to fulfill the request, the applicant will be supplied with an estimated date of availability.  If the request is denied, the applicant will be supplied with a written explanation of the reasons why and information regarding the appeals process.  Click here for a Freedom of Information Request Form.
Property Taxes
The Town Clerk, as Receiver of Taxes, collects Town and County Taxes.  Residents may be eligible for various tax exemptions that reduce the taxes levied against your property.  For more information on exemptions, see the Assessor page. Payments may be made in person using cash check or money order at the Town Clerk’s Office at the Municipal Office Building during normal business hours.  Payments may also be made by mail by check or money order and may be sent to Mary C. Smith, Tax Receiver  8650 LeRay Street   Evans Mills  NY  13637.  Town and County tax bills are mailed at the end of December and property owners have  the entire month of January to pay without penalty.  Bills paid after January 31 incur late payment penalties as follows:  Payment Date                                                Penalty February 1 through February 28                  1.0% March 1 through  March 14                             2.0%  After March 14, all unpaid tax bills are returned to the Jefferson County Treasurer  175 Arsenal Street  Watertown  NY  13601 and payments must be made at that office.  Additional penalties accrue as time goes on.  Many property owners’ taxes are paid from an escrow account with their mortgage lender.  Indirect payments such as these do not exempt property owners from penalties and fees resulting from late or non-payment of property taxes.  It is the ultimate responsibility of the property owner to insure timely payment of all taxes.  Installment Payments  An installment payment process is offered on the Town and County tax bills and the details and amounts are listed on the individual bills.  Installment payments must be made as follows and may be made at the Town Clerk’s Office:  1st  Installment due by January 31 2nd  Installment due by March 31 3rd  Installment due by May 31
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I never received my bill, or received it late; do I still have to pay the penalty?
Yes, New York State Real Property Tax Law dictates that the property owner’s failure to receive a bill does not relieve them of responsibility to pay their taxes by the due date.  Neither the Receiver of Taxes nor any other official has the legal authority to waive any of the late payment penalty charges set forth by law.
If I mail my payment on the due date, do I have to pay a penalty?
New York State Real Property Tax Law states that payments, mailed in a properly addressed envelope with appropriate postage and a U.S. Postal Service postmark date equivalent to the due date (postage meter postmarks do NOT qualify), and left in the custody of the U.S. Postal Service by the payment due date, will be considered as an on-time payment
May I make partial payments?
Other than the Installment Payment Option mentioned above and outlined on the tax bills, partial payments are not accepted.
May I pay by credit card?
No, payment by credit card is not available.  In exchange for allowing an establishment to accept their credit card, the credit card companies (Mastercard, Visa, American Express, etc.) charge a percentage of the transaction back to the establishment as a user fee.  These fees can not legally be added to the tax bill nor can the money be discounted off the amounts due, so there is no way to accommodate credit card payments.