The taxi situation in the Village of Mineola took another turn last week when the village board appointed what it said would be an independent hearing officer to investigate complaints the village has received pertaining to taxi service.

Controversy between the village and a cab company, Long Island Checker Cab of Mineola, has been ongoing since the village has denied the cab company's application for 14 additional taxi licenses.

Long Island Checker Cab maintains that there is a need for more point-to-point taxi service in Mineola, meaning picking up from one location in Mineola and dropping off at another Mineola location or picking up at the Mineola train station.

The village had maintained there was sufficient cab service in the village, provided mostly by All Island Taxi, which holds 35 of the 37 taxi licenses in the village. In order to gauge whether there is a problem with taxi service in the village, customers wishing to file a complaint could do so with the village clerk.

According to Village of Mineola Clerk Lou DiDomenico, since Nov. 6, there have been nine complaints registered, six in written form and three in verbal form.

Last week, the village board voted to appoint James Marsh as the independent hearing officer to gather testimony and investigate the taxi situation, focusing on whether there is adequate service and eventually make a report and recommendation to the village board.

Village trustee Jack Martins suggested forming a committee. However, the village board showed confidence in Marsh to be an independent voice. He is the attorney for the village's planning board and has heard labor grievances.

One procedure that was talked about could involve contacting those who have registered complaints for the purposes of holding a hearing. The validity of the complaints could be then verified and the company the complaints are launched against could have the opportunity to respond to them. A report on whether there is adequate taxi service in the village could then be issued.

Village attorney John Spellman said he would expect the report by Jan. 15.

Meanwhile Long Island Checker Cab of Mineola has appealed the Supreme Court's decision, which turned down the cab company's plea for additional licenses in the village. Also, the cab company has filed a lawsuit against Mayor John P. Colbert for comments the mayor made in a previous column.

In Other News

* Mayor John P. Colbert, Deputy Mayor Lou Santosus, Trustees Elizabeth Conlon, Linda Fairgrieve and Jack Martins wished all residents of Mineola happy holidays.

* A bid was accepted by the village board to put a new roof on the Mineola Athletic Association Field House. The bid was awarded to Best Roofing of New Jersey for $52,210.

* Mark Deodato was named as the village's new superintendent of sanitation. Mark succeeds his father Fred Deodato, who recently retired.

* Charles Sleefe was appointed as the new library director of the Mineola Memorial Library. Charles had been serving as the active director for over a year.

* The Knights of Columbus Hall on Jericho Turnpike is not available on Jan. 26 for the annual County Seat Kiwanis pancake breakfast. The community center of Mineola Village Hall was approved for use. However, the fire council was given approval for cooking in the community center.

* Adam Minsky, a member of the Mineola High School football team and wrestling team, was in attendance since he has been interning in the office of the mayor.

* Eagle Scout candidate Eddie Kaiser, who is responsible for getting a Sept. 11 monument in Memorial Park, presented a check to the village for $8,400, which represented the extra money he collected from donations for the monument. Kaiser also gave the village six plaques for the benches surrounding the monuments to dedicate the benches to those who made donations. He also presented Mayor Colbert with a plaque, thanking him for his help concerning the monument. The mayor accepted it on behalf of the village board.

* A resident expressed his concern that in some areas in the village, too much concrete is replacing sections of lawns. The village board approves applications for curb cuts. The resident noticed that is some cases the curb cut is being approved, but no variance is coming with the application. Only 25 percent of the front of a home is allowed to be covered with concrete. In some cases, a second curb cut is becoming a driveway and the percentage of concrete is exceeding 25 percent. He also brought to the board's attention that on Lincoln Avenue, cars are being parked on the sidewalk. The citizen urged the village to require a variance when issuing approvals for curb cuts.

* Resident Bill Urianek commented that holiday decorations down Jericho Turnpike look better than in past years. The funds to purchase the decorations came from the Mineola Chamber of Commerce and village workers put them up.

Urianek also inquired about the amount of money owed to the village from parking tickets. Trustee Martins said the village asked the state for an opinion as to whether it has the authority to tow or impound vehicles that have racked up parking fines. Lowering the threshold for taking action against offenders is also being looked into.

Urianek also wanted to know why village workers are picking up leaves on Saturdays when they have to be paid overtime. Mayor Colbert said it's difficult to get residents to bag leaves so the village needs to pick up the leaves in order to keep the leaves out of the streets. "We send the crews out to make sure these streets are cleaned," said Mayor Colbert. "The amount of money that it really costs us to send out a crew is not really that much and it really is efficient."

Urianek said the village has to start thinking of ways to cut spending. Mayor Colbert said the village has been pretty good with taxes and residents should start looking at other entities like the school district for tax savings.

* The village has yet to make a decision on the Omnipoint application for six additional antennas on the Maple Place Tower. Maple Place resident Walter Crosby, who is adamantly opposing any additional antennas in the village, thanked the board for its diligence in the matter. He also inquired as to why there is no crossing guard, traffic light or sign on Willis Avenue in front of the Corpus Christi Church to let parishioners of the 5 p.m. Mass cross the street more easily. Mayor Colbert said he put a letter together requesting a traffic light at Washington Street and Willis Avenue, Washington Street and Mineola Boulevard and Garfield Avenue by the church. The mayor said the letter has been given to the village council and will hopefully go out in the next few days. Willis Avenue is a county road.

* Bill Urianek pointed out the purses are being snatched from shopping carts in supermarkets and urged residents to protect their belongings when shopping this holiday season.

* The village board had perhaps its youngest resident ever to appear before them when 12-year-old Emily Rodgers of 1st Street asked the village board to help her grandmother to get taxi service and put grass in Memorial Park so students don't have to put on their play in the mud if it rains.