Steve Cotton — Town Clerk / Tax Collector
Contact Information
- Name: Steve Cotton
- Title: Town Clerk / Tax Collector
- Phone: 607-698-4843
- Email (Clerk): clerk@townofcanisteony.gov
- Email (Collector): collector@townofcanisteony.gov
- Address: 6 Main Street, Canisteo, NY 14823
Town Clerk Office Hours
January – March
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
April – December
- Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Note: Open other times by appointment.
Role of the Town Clerk
The Town Clerk serves as a direct link between residents and local government. While issuing licenses is a visible part of the role, it represents only a portion of the responsibilities involved. The position also serves as a primary source of public information.
The Town Clerk issues state licenses and permits, including:
Duties of the Registrar
When elected as Town Registrar, the Town Clerk is responsible for maintaining vital records for the town, including:
- Birth records
- Death records
- Burial permits
- Genealogical record searches
Records Management Officer (RMO)
As Records Management Officer, the Town Clerk serves as custodian of town records, including:
- Active records management
- Storage of inactive records
- Proper disposal of obsolete records
- Maintenance of archival materials
- Oversight and coordination of the town’s records management program
Records Access Officer (RAO)
As Records Access Officer, the Town Clerk coordinates Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests (Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Request Form)under Public Officers Law Article 6 (§84–§90).
Responsibilities include:
- Acknowledging and responding to FOIL requests within required time frames
- Reviewing and redacting records as needed
- Tracking and maintaining FOIL request records
- Communicating with requester
- Protecting confidential agency records