New Hyde Park Village Mayor Daniel Petruccio announced that he and the village board established an "employee of the month" award. To kick-off the program as the first award winner the board readily agreed on Patricia Anderson, who is the deputy village clerk as well as being responsible for taking the minutes at every village board meeting.

Anderson was presented a personal engraved plaque stating that she is the "Employee of the Month." In addition, her name was also engraved on an Honor Award Plaque that will hang in village hall noting that she was the first to be named to this prestigious award.

She also received a certificate of recognition from New Hyde Park Village Clerk Mary Anne Minerva expressing her thanks for all the many things that Anderson quietly accomplishes at village hall.

To celebrate the event Anderson's husband George and her daughters Pat and Lori surprised her and were on hand when she received the award. She was speechless, but did manage to express her sincere thanks for such an honor.

The New Hyde Park Elks received permission at the last New Hyde Park Village meeting to hold their Annual Halloween Parade on Nov. 2 at 10 a.m. The parade will step off, with all the ghosts and goblins in costume, at the village municipal parking lot at New Hyde Park Road and Jericho Turnpike and will travel north to the Elks Lodge on Lakeville Road. The Elks have asked New Hyde Park Mayor Daniel Petruccio to be their Grand Marshal along with the trustees and any other village associates. The Auxiliary Police and the Third Precinct will be informed of the event and it will also be announced on the village billboard located on the corner of Jericho Turnpike and New Hyde Park Road. Mr. Thomas Capece, who is in charge of the parade, has been informed that the band shell must be obtained from the Town of North Hempstead because the village band shell is no longer operational.

Residents at the meeting complained, once again, about the cab drivers. A resident complained that the drivers leave trash behind and completely take over Third Avenue by double parking them along the railroad.

When questioned about how many taxicabs have been issued licenses in the village, the mayor explained that the same amount of cabs have been licensed as in the past years.

The village contacted the owner of the taxicabs and he said that the trash was not from his drivers. Nevertheless, he said he will instruct his drivers to keep the area clean. The same resident also requested that the street cleaner be used regularly at the railroad site. The mayor said he will look into the matter.

Former trustee Florence Lisanti recommended that a letter be sent to Mr. Fortuna, owner of the Long Island Checker Company, requesting that he comply with the village rules of displaying village license photo id's and that the medallions issued by the village be placed on both the front and the rear of each vehicle as requested by the village. The mayor said he will review each request and then address the issues.

Trustee Rich Coppola reminded all village residents, on behalf of the New Hyde Park Fire Department, to be aware of Fire Prevention Week and to check all smoke detectors for working batteries.

The new station house at the railroad is near completion. The New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) was also informed of the Cost Benefit Analysis for the LIRR grade crossing. It is proposed that a system be installed for emergency vehicles that would enable the fire department to hold the train at the station while they answer emergency calls.

It was announced that the village will host a Model Train Show at Marcus Christ Hall sometime in December. The exact date and time will be announced at another time.

The mayor reminded all residents that the next meeting will be held on Nov. 7, since Nov. 5, the regular meeting date, is Election Day. hHe then urged all residents to get out and vote even those students who recently became 18-years-old.