Recently, the Village of New Hyde Park held its reorganizational meeting at New Hyde Park Village Hall, corner of New Hyde Park Road and Jericho Turnpike. Since there were no elections this year of New Hyde Park village officials, there was no swearing-in of elected village officials.

However, Robert Lofaro was reappointed as the New Hyde Park Deputy Mayor.

The following is a list of appointments or in most cases reappointments to the following positions:

Superintendent Public Works, James McCloat; Dvirka & Bartilucci, village engineers; Superintendent of Buildings, Richard Belziti; Deputy Village Clerk, Patricia Anderson; Deputy Village Treasurer, Eileen Raguseo; Research Assistant to the Village Board, Janet Bevers; Secretary to the Village Board, Debbie Malhotra Clerk to the Justice, Dawn Doherty; Acting Village Justice, Robert Morici; Prosecuting Attorney, John B. Turano; Prosecuting Attorney, Lisa Williams,; Prosecuting Attorney, Eric Belfi; Rykar, Vail & Barrett, auditors; Public Information Officer, Ellen LaRegina; Plumbing Inspector, James Miller, Jr.; Chairman of Assessors, Ken Wunsch; Assessor, Paul Schneider; Historian, Florence Lisanti; Chairman of Parks/Recreation, Patricia Sheridan; Parks/Recreation Administrator, Mark Farina. Members of the Park/Recreation Committee include: Laura Robinson, Joan Filippi, Joanne Romagnoli, Regina Savarese, Kenneth Simon, Anne Marie O'Connell and Richard Pallisco.

Director of Environmental Control, Kurt Langjahr; Systems Electrician and Maintainer, Peter Ferello. Cultural Committee Chairman, Lisa Miranda. The following are members of the Cultural Committee: Denise Connors, Tina Cotumaccio and Suzanne Gardella. Chairman of the Safety Committee, Patrick Farrell. Members of the Safety Committee include: Janet Bevers, Mark Farina;. Beautification Committee Chairman Richard Pallisco, members include Rosemary Hudson, Diane McCarrick and Annie Montreuil. Zoning Board, Joseph Mezzafonte; Ad Hoc Zoning, Leanne Pallisco; Zoning Board Attorney, Frank D'Errico; Secretary to Zoning Board, Patricia Anderson; Planning Board Member, Kenneth Garvin; Ad Hoc Planning Board Member, Diane Bentivenga; Secretary to Planning Board Ruth Kernan; Chairman Plumbing Board, Ronald Sakowich; Official Newspaper, Illustrated News; Official Newspaper, Herald Courier; Depositories: State Bank of Long Island, First National Bank of Long Island, Bank of America, Commerce Bank and Wachovia; Village Appointee to the Western Nassau Water Authority, Reid Sakowich. The following are members of the Master Plan Committee: Joe Palazolla, Mike Persichelli, Paul Wesoly, William Cutter, Timothy Jones, Kevin McHale, Anna Crescenzi-Lausen, Ron Sakokwich, Lisa Miranda, Patricia Sheridan, Annie Montreuil, Richard Pallisco, Edward Powers and Richard Coppola. The following are the members of the LIRR Task Force: Chairman, Robert Lofaro; members include Richard Coppola, Edwards Powers and Richard Pallisco.

The village trustees were then assigned to the following committees:

Sexual Harassment: Richard Coppola and Donald Barbieri.

Minority and Women's Business and Equal Employment Opportunity Offer: Donald Barbieri.

Richard Coppola, Jr.: Parks & Recreation, Nassau County, Auxiliary Police, Fire Department, LIRR, Chamber of Commerce, Little League.

Deputy Mayor Robert Lofaro: Department of Public Works, Beautification, Facilities, LIRR.

Donald Barbieri: Library, Community Development, Cultural Commission, Noise Abatement.

Lawrence Montreuil: Building Department, Zoning Board, Board of Assessors, Planning & Development, Schools, Veterans Affairs.

Mayor Daniel Petruccio: Business Development, Public Information.

The board then passed the following resolutions:

• Advance payment for certain items prior to the board audit of claims pursuant to village law.

• Resolution authorizing attendance at conferences, schools, seminars, etc. during the '08-'09 fiscal year.

• Resolution to authorize reimbursement of mileage costs at a rate of 51.7 cents.

• Resolution to establish dates for Village of New Hyde Park Board of Trustee Meetings: April 15, May 6, May 20, June 17, July 15, Aug. 19, Sept. 16, Oct. 7, Oct. 21. Please note Thursday, Nov. 6, Nov. 18, Dec. 2, Dec. 16, Jan. 6, 2009, Jan. 20, Feb. 3, Feb. 17, March 3, March 19 (Please note Thursday. ) Village election is on March 17, 2009.

• Village Procurement Policy.

• Resolution Affirming the following policies: Investment, Computer, Code of Ethics & Fraud, Workplace Violence and Procedures.

Anyone wishing to have further details on any of the polices or assignments may obtain the hard copy by calling village hall at 354-0022.

New Hyde Park Village Clerk/Treasurer Patrick Farrell went over the 2008-2009 budget, on the overhead projector, line by line. The bottom line is that the budget is coming in with a tax rate of $17.23 over last year's rate of $16.76, which represents a 2.7l9 percent increase; and since there was no tax increase last year, the budget represents a 1.4 percent increase over the last two years. The entire budget may be obtained at New Hyde Park Village Hall, corner of New Hyde Park Road and Jericho Turnpike.

At the last New Hyde Park Village Board meeting the board approved a request from the VFW/G& E Linder Post No. 8031 to hold its Annual Memorial Day Parade on May 24. The parade will step off at 10 a.m. and head for ceremonies both at village hall at the memorial rock and at New Hyde Park Village Memorial Park, at which time Mayor Daniel Petruccio will be the master of ceremonies.

It was also announced that the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management will begin CERT training on May 6. The press release and the CERT brochure are available in the New Hyde Park Village Clerk's office.

The board approved a request for the New Hyde Park Kiwanis

Club to use Marcus Christ Hall for Pasta Night on April 25 from 4 to 10 p.m.

The following car wash applications were approved: July 19-New Hyde Park Wildcats Lady Cougars and Aug. 16-New Hyde Park Wildcats Hot Shots.

Mayor Petruccio requested that Public Works Supervisor James McCloat inspect the road surface condition on South 8th Street and report back to the board.

During the first open portion of the meeting a longtime resident asked Mayor Petruccio if elected officials were eligible for pension and health care

Trustee benefits. The mayor explained that elected village officials can participate in health and pension benefits if they so choose.

Trustee Coppola reported that the next Chamber of Commerce meeting will be held on April 17 at the Inn at New Hyde Park. James Reed of the Department of Consumer Affairs will be the guest speaker.

The Little League Parade was held on April 5. Details and pictures of the parade are in this week's issue of The Illustrated News.

POP (Problem Oriented Police) Officer Nick Mosesso will be the guest speaker at New Hyde Park Village Board meeting scheduled for May 6.

Public Works Superintendent McCloat has requested an adjustment to the security camera in Memorial Park.

In Deputy Mayor Lofaro's absence, Mayor Petruccio reminded all that Village Clean-Up Day is April 26. Everyone is invited to participate and volunteers should meet in the village hall parking lot at 10 a.m. Lisa Miranda, chairperson for the Cultural Commission, is busy scheduling acts for the Summer Concert Season in Memorial Park.

Trustee Barbieri reported that conversations have taken place with the DOT (Department of Transportation) on the Jericho Turnpike Project. He said that the DOT plans to hold public meetings in the near future to discuss implementing public safety measures on Jericho Turnpike such as lane changing, speed restrictions and left hand turns. All residents are urged to attend these meetings, that will be announced, to share their thoughts.

Trustee Barbieri also announced that a pedestrian was struck by a truck on Jericho Turnpike, so he urged all residents to please slow down, drive carefully and to adhere to traffic signs.

Trustee Montreuil reported that the building department issued 47 permits in March which is a 21 percent increase from February'08 and a 2 percent increase from March of '07. There were 29 Certificates of Occupancy issued in March. The village board heard an application for a Martial Arts School at 24 Jericho Turnpike. And the '08 rental registration process is underway.

The zoning board was going to meet on April 9 to hear three cases: 547 North 11th Street, applicants to seek to maintain the home as a two-family dwelling.

Karate School at 24 Jericho Turnpike to seek relief from parking regulations.

Hoffman Road, No. 49, applicant seeks to install a 6-foot high PVC fence along the side yard.

The ARB met on March 4 and heard six cases:

• 1301 Jericho Turnpike - sign application approved.

• 1515 Gilford Avenue (two properties) approved fencing, roofing, siding.

• 111-113 Jericho Turnpike (Gino's Pizza) approved selection of stone in the front.

• 1300 Jericho Turnpike - approved sign.

• 401 Jericho Turnpike - approved new awning.

Recently, the members of CARE (Concerned Citizens Against Rail Expansion) taped a 30 minute cable show on the LIRR Mainline Project. No air date has been announced.

The board met with an engineering firm to determine if they can help with the LIRR Mainline Project analysis.

Attorney for the village, John Spellman, is reviewing a contractual agreement and the proposed formula to divide the cost of the CARE attorney among the main line communities based on population.

Since there were no further comments from the audience, the board adjourned into a staff meeting.

The next regular meeting of the village will be held on May 6 at 8 p.m. at New Hyde Park Village Hall, corner of New Hyde Park Road and Jericho Turnpike.