Mineola Village Board Notebook: Dec. 21

The Mineola  held a meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Here are some of the things you may have missed.

Mineola Jr. Fire Dept. Fundraiser

• praised the work that had been done by the Mineola Junior Fire Department at a December 18 fundraiser.
• “I can’t adequately explain how proud I am of these young men and women who saw someone in need and stepped up to organize a very successful community event to as they go through a tough time,” he said. “The incredible outpouring of support for this event, from our residents and business community is something other communities can only dream about.”
• The fundraiser was spearheaded by Brian Strauss, Bill Gresalfi, Gary Mazur and Tyler Wolf.

Engineering Services

• An engineering services contract with the firm of Dvirka & Bartilucci for the village’s 2012 concrete requirements in the amount of $3,920 was approved.
• “Basically that’s to put out our requirements contract for concrete repairs,” Superintendent of Public Works Tom Rini said. “This pays for all, putting together specifications, any plans, bid documents, bid reviews and the like.”
• The village had approved a contract 2 years ago, with the contractor at the time, but which is now expired and can not be extended again.

Roofing Projects

• Additional inspection fees in the amount of $12,000 were approved for Dvirka & Bartilucci for the at the , and fire department.
• The village had approved two change orders onto the project “so that added into those inspection times,” Rini said, noting that mold investigation and testing at the fire department due to leaks and asbestos abatement at the village hall and fire department were “some of the reasons why the additional inspection is required.”

Village Garage Solar Project

• A change order was made to the at the central garage in the amount of $8,369 to Roland’s Electric.
• Part of will connect the DPW office to the garage where the panels are installed to make one system, but requires trenching across the garage and installation of conduits, a certain portion of which was factored into the project.
• Rini stated that there was a collapsed line on the access control system and the need to install a new line to widen the trench as well as a pair of new lines for possible future expansion.
• “Part of the funding for this project, we’re on the hook for $70,000 payment that’s part of this project, this would go towards that,” he said. “I’m asking that if we could do that, this way we could get our communications back at the yard.”
• Originally the village was to dig the trench but Rini said that the company can construct one wider and in less time.
• “Since we’re already on the hook for a payment, it’s easier to have them do it.”

Mineola Fire Department

• A total of $8,000 in departmental budget transfers for the were made from the following lines: $5,000 from dues and conferences to Supplies, misc.; $500 from defensive driving to equipment turn out gear; $500 from fire prevention week to supplies, badges; $2,000 from dues and conferences to Scott masks. “This is a standard year-end budget transfer that virtually every department does from time to time,” Scalero said, noting that it still remains a zero-sum balance. fiscal year 2011
• A benefit payout from the village fire service award fund was approved for Mineola Fire Department Volunteer Firefighter Richard Kotowski, pursuant to the length of service award program.
• Thomas Capruso was approved as a new member of the Mineola Fire Department Company No. 2.
• Mayor Strauss recently swore in Mineola firefighter and ex-chief Michael DeStefano as president of the fire chiefs council of Nassau County. “It’s a great, powerful organization to be a part of,” he said.

Other Board News

• of Garden City Park was named as the village’s authorized tow agent for abandoned vehicles. The wrecker will pick up and hold the cars at no charge to the village and if unclaimed, dispose of the cars. July was selected due to the company owning a storage yard, something that a pair of Mineola-based tow car operators do not have.
• Rini asked the board to fill a position in the sanitation department from seasonal employee and Mineola resident Rocco Redman in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.
• Village clerk Joseph Scalero was sworn in recently as president of the Long Island Community Development Organization.
• The board approved a special use permit for a semi-private personal training facility at 153A Jericho Turnpike on the following conditions:  no food, beverage or supplements sold on premises, employees and members would use the village municipal lot for all parking and that the operation shall be self-contained within the interior of the building.