Niagara County Clerk

***Niagara County DMV Customers*** Niagara County DMV Walk-In Hours for Residents Only Limit to Two Transactions per Customer Reacting to an overwhelming number of people who showed up for the Niagara County Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) first walk-in hours since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Niagara County Clerk Joseph A. Jastrzemski today said that future walk-in hours would be limited to Niagara County residents only, with a limit of two transactions per v...isit as well. We attempted to bring a sense of normalcy back to our operations by doing one day of walk-ins at each of our three DMV office and to be candid, it didn’t go particularly well, said Jastrzemski. The number of people coming from communities that are two and three hours away to process multiple transactions is something we did not anticipate. It created a long lines and long wait times. Jastrzemski said people came from as far away as Syracuse to process their transactions and these were not standard renewals, but more complicated matters like lapsed insurance, stolen plates and so on. We still think booking appointments, using our drop boxes and doing transactions online are the best way to complete your DMV business, but we wanted to create the more traditional avenue with walk-in hours for those who are more comfortable with that or maybe needed extra direction, said Jastrzemski. But with the vast majority of other counties in New York State only doing appointments, we appeared to become the clearinghouse for people all across Upstate New York. That can’t continue. Jastrzemski said DMV staff will now turn away anyone who is not a Niagara County resident during the walk-in hours even if they drove several hours to get here. With lines like we had this week, we cannot ensure proper social distancing and that is particularly problematic at a time when the number of COVID cases are increasing, said Jastrzemski. We are going to see if this new policy improves things this week. If not, we will return to appointments only. Jastrzemski reminded the public that he North Tonawanda DMV office will accept walk-ins on Tuesdays; Niagara Falls DMV on Wednesdays; and Lockport DMV on Thursday. Patrons on walk-in days need to be in line by 11:30 a.m. to be served before the office closes for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 and then before 4 p.m. to be served before the office closes for the day. Everyone must wear a mask and bring their own pen.

Niagara County Officials Remind Community that April is Donate Life Month Niagara County Legislature Chairman Rebecca Wydysh and Niagara County Clerk Joseph A. Jastrzemski today reminded the public that April is celebrated as national Donate Life Month. Residents are asked to consider registering as organ, eye and tissue donors and to honor those that have saved lives through the gift of a donation. According to Donate Life America, more than 100,000 women, men and chi...ldren are waiting for lifesaving organ transplants and every 10 minutes, another person is added to the national transplant waiting list, said Wydysh. Every April, we try to do our best to awareness of this issue and ask the public to please consider registering to be a donor. County Clerk Jastrzemski said that people can sign up right now for the registry at www.donatelife.ny.gov/register or may do so when they replace, renew or upgrade their driver's license or non-driver identification. One organ donor can save up to eight lives and impact dozens more with tissue donations, said Jastrzemski, who proudly noted that 51 percent of Niagara County’s licensed drivers are organ donors While joining the registry takes just a few minutes, the impact of your decision may very well be felt for generations.

Today, on National Vietnam War Veterans Day, Niagara County Veterans Service Agency joins the rest of the nation in honoring the service and sacrifice of all Veterans who served in the Armed Forces from 1955 to 1975.

***Attention Niagara County Veterans*** Niagara County Golf Course Now Part of Thank a Vet Program Niagara County Legislator Jesse Gooch today announced that the Niagara County Golf Course will now offer a discount to veterans who have signed up for the county’s Thank a Vet program . Gooch’s resolution asking the county Parks Department to join the Thank a Vet program and set up a discounted rate passed the Legislature unanimously last month. Since then, Gooch has be...en working with the Parks Department to develop the rates. According to Gooch, the Thank a Vet discount will now be two dollars off of nine holes, four dollars off of 18 holes and 50 percent off any size bucket of balls at the driving range. That means a weekday 18-hole round of golf would only cost $15.00 for members of the Thank a Vet program. The Thank A Vet program is just a small way to acknowledge those who served our country so when I realized the county golf course did not have a discount, I worked with County Clerk Joe Jastrzemski and Deputy Commissioner for Parks Jeff Gaston to put this together. Gooch said any Niagara County resident who was honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces is eligible to receive a Thank a Vet card. For more information on how to receive your card, contact the Niagara County Clerk’s Office at 439-7022.