Although history may be preserved in many ways, the Village of Mineola Board of Trustees has resorted to a law to preserve its historical landmarks. In May of 2000, the mayor and the board of trustees passed a historical preservation law that authorized the board to designate certain properties with historic value to the village as landmarks. Last week, the village board made their first three historical landmark designations-the gazebo in Memorial Park, the Mineola Auxiliary Police headquarters, and the food stand/parks department building at Wilson Park.

With Mayor John P. Colbert not present at the hearing to designate the three structures as historical landmarks because of an illness, the village board voted 4-0 on all three structures. Those structures are now considered "preserved" since no exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, demolition or moving of an historic site can be done without first obtaining a certificate of appropriateness from the board of trustees.

The historic preservation law was something that was pushed for by the Mineola Historical Society, an organization that seeks to maintain a sense of village history. President Jack Hehman and the society were instrumental to the board in recommending the sites.

The octagonal structure that stands in Memorial Park was orginially designed by Mineola resident Lester L.D. Haab on Aug. 2, 1932. The gazebo represents the era of public park buildings that were common from the late 1890s to early 1930s. The gazebo has been used over the years as a centerpiece for most activities in the park. The building located at 300 Garfield Avenue that currently serves as the headquarters for the Mineola Auxiliary Police Department is a 30 ft. by 40 ft. brick and masonry structure that was built in 1929 as a sanitary sewage pump station as part of a new municipal sewage system. It was then used in the mid-1940s as a center for civil defense training and storage before being converted in the mid-1950s as the headquarters of the Mineola Auxiliary Police. The 30 ft. by 40 ft. single story building with a deep basement was built in 1929 as sanitary sewer pump station #1 in 1929. When the Mineola Pool was built in 1960, it became a food stand and restroom. It also became the headquarters of the Parks Department in 1995. The building is an example of the federal works project municipal structure that was so common in communities during the 1930s.

Once a structure receives an historical landmark designation, alteration to its exterior cannot be made without permission from the board of trustees. Village Attorney John Spellman stated that public buildings as well as privately-owned buildings can receive an historical designation from the board.

This could pose a problem for an owner of a structure that is deemed an historical landmark since the owner would be forbidden to make exterior renovations or alteration to his or her property without first obtaining permission from the board.

In order to maintain a sense of fairness, Spellman said a public hearing would be held, as it was last Wednesday, before every property receives an historical landmark designation. That way, if an owner of a property objects to having restrictions placed on the property as a result of it being labeled an historical landmark, the owner can state his or her case in front of the board before the board makes its decision.

All four board members present at the hearing spoke favorably about preserving the history of the gazebo, auxiliary police headquarters and Wilson Park snack stand before voting as did Mineola residents Walter Hobbs and Mike Marinak, a member of the Mineola Historical Society.

It was stated that there is dialogue about putting a plaque on each of the structures that receives the historical landmark designation.

Deputy Mayor Lou Santosus asked the Mineola Historical Society for suggestions on what the village can do to clean up and care for the gazebo.

* Santosus announced that the project to redo Second Street in Mineola may begin in March, although it was originally slated to start this month.

* Tree planting is currently going on in the village. Anyone interested in having a tree planted near their home, should call Tom Rini at the Department of Public Works 746-5291.

* The village's annual tree lighting ceremony will take place on Dec. 7. The village is currently looking for old, artificial trees to decorate the community center. If you have one, call Kyle Teemsma at 746-5291 to arrange a pick-up.

* A Mineola resident criticized the board for its recent ruling regarding commercial vehicles. The village board ruled that commercial vehicles can be stored in residents' garages overnight, providing they are not flammable. However, the resident said the village would be unable to properly police whether there is a flammable vehicle in a garage.

There still seems to be some disagreement regarding the storage of vehicles in residential areas overnight. While some maintain that the vehicles are used by some residents to make a living, others feel they are eyesores and want them off of residential streets.

* There is still a question about the board's decision to approve additional spending for capital projects such as the Mineola Firehouse and library. Some residents are concerned that the additional bonding will make it more difficult for residents to stay in Mineola.

The village board recently approved the expenditure of funds in addition to what was already approved when the projects were undertaken. Santosus explained that in the cases of the firehouse on Washington Avenue and the library on Marcellus Road, the contractors were dealing with old buildings so certain costs were unforeseen. However, Sansosus said when problems arise, the village can't walk away from the project so additional spending is needed.

* In an update on the Reese Buick site on Jericho Turnpike between Andrews and Emory Road, CVS is in the process of trying to finalize the building permit.

* In an update of the Chaminade High School purchase of Koeppel Ford, Spellman reported that the two sides are in negotiation of the sale pending the results of a phase I and phase II environmental impact study. Spellman said he believes that if negotiations go well, Chaminade would hold a community meeting to inform the public of their intentions for the property. A resident said he was concerned about the tax dollars Mineola would be losing as a result of the sale of a business to a school and the tax dollars that will be lost as a result of the condemnation of property for the Long Island Rail Road project, expected to take place in the Roslyn Road area within the next five years.

Spellman said Chaminade would have to come before the Mineola Board of Trustees for permission before beginning construction of their project, which is said to include a gymnasium.