A tiara on her head, a sash over her shoulder and a corsage pinned to her dress, Barbara Mattina celebrated her 25th anniversary as an employee of the Village of Mineola at Village Hall last Thursday.

In celebration mode, Mattina tended to her daily Building Department duties at a desk adorned with balloons, surrounded by cards and an official recognition from her boss, Mayor John P. Colbert.

"This is a wonderful place to work," said Mattina. "It's like working in a little family."

Mattina started at a desk on the first floor of the former Village Hall at 177 Jericho Turnpike as a typist and deputy clerk, where she remained for 22 years. She worked with Village Justices, George Eaton and William Heil.

"You can put her in any department and she's excellent at it," said Dolores McGahan, whose own supposed seven week tenure at Mineola turned into 20 years. "She is well liked by everyone in the village."

Currently, Mattina shares a wide open office with the rest of the building department at 155 Washington Avenue. Said her co-worker for three years, Cue Lopes, "She likes helping senior citizens and those in need. She really likes what she does."

Mattina also works on special projects like the Mayor's Halloween Party. Patrice Grosskopf, 13-year-employee, also coordinates the party. She said of Mattina, "She's just one of Mineola's finest. She's a peach."

Mattina grew up in Mineola, graduating from Mineola High School in 1973. Her work for Big Al's on Jericho Turnpike was cut short when her father, Tony Belissimo, told her to leave the "truck stop" and apply for a job at Village Hall.

Unsuccessful in her search for a job as a lifeguard, Mattina, was asked if she could type. With a positive response, Court Clerk Teddy McCormick hired her on the spot. Mattina replied, "Can I call my mom to tell her I won't be home for dinner?"

Mattina only left work for extended periods twice, once to attend Catherine Gibbs Secretarial School for a year, she returned to the village with advice from her husband, Charlie, and once when she had her son, Christopher, a maternity leave cut short by a call for help from McCormick.

In recognition of that dedication her co-workers surprised her with the celebration "To show her we are all here for her and thanks for putting in the 25 years into one place," said Lopes.

The time put into one job and one place is explained simply enough by Mattina, "I could have changed jobs, but I didn't want to because I was happy, still am."