Consumer Protection

About Us

The Mount Vernon Office of Consumer Affairs/Bureau of Weights and Measures has been in existence for over eighty-eight years enforcing all local, state and federal laws and regulations. Only three persons have held the position of Director. Ensuring that the Mount Vernon community and those shopping within the city are protected in the marketplace is the primary objective of this office.

Duties

The office performs the following functions:

• Inspects and tests weighing and measuring devices used commercially
• Inspects and tests packaged commodities
• Regulates commercial weighing and measuring practices used by vendors
• Investigates consumer and business complaints

Bureau of Weights & Measures

The Bureau of Weights and Measures determines the validity of all weighing devices in commercial use in the city, and levels fines to all violators through administrative hearings. Weighing devices are commonly found in retail establishments that charge consumers for products that must be weighed or measured for a price per unit, for example, supermarket scales, and gasoline pumps. Gas station pumps are considered measuring devices as consumers are priced for gasoline by the gallon.

Office of Consumer Protection

The Office of Consumer Protection receives and investigates all complaints from consumers, investigates deceptive trade practices, false advertising dating and pricing on commodities. Complaints should be made in writing containing information about the location of stores, names of persons dealt with (if available), and items the consumer is having a discrepancy about. Referrals are made to out of state agencies when necessary.