Mineola village officials honored young firefighters from Panama who visited as part of the fire department’s junior program at the Feb. 18 trustee meeting.
Ten Panamanian junior firefighters visited New York City with Mineola Mayor Paul Periera. Their trip was sponsored by the Carvalho Family Foundation, according to a Facebook post from the village. They will have a training session this weekend with Mineola’s junior firefighters.
“These young boys and girls were super respectful, very mature and very impressive,” Pereira said. “I think it’s great because the kids get to learn from each other, not just about firematics, but about culture, sacrifice. They learn about not just our differences but, more importantly, our similarities.”
He said that in a world that’s becoming more polarized, it’s important to meet face-to-face with people from different cultures.
During the board meeting, trustees voted on several resolutions for village operations and repairs.
Trustees approved a contract worth $83,000 with D&B Engineers & Architects, D.P.C., for electrical and mechanical upgrades to the water district’s Well No. Five.
They also authorized a $750 decrease in the village’s contract with Metro Group of Long Island, Inc. for the 1,4-dioxane, PFOA, and PFOS treatment project at Mineola Water District Well No. Four.
The board authorized an $8,500 contract with Otis Elevator Repair for an emergency repair in the Mineola Fire Department’s headquarters.
Trustees also approved the use of public fields for a June 5 carnival hosted by Mineola Portuguese Center, Inc., and added Nationwide Towing to its list of approved towing car licenses for 2026.
During public comment, a resident raised concerns about transitional housing run by the Mental Health Association of Nassau County within the village.
According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, transitional housing is a type of subsidized housing that creates a safe entry point for individuals with histories of homelessness to seek opportunities for more secure long-term housing.
“Creating a coordinated system that operates from the position of a Housing First approach, removing barriers to entry and based on the needs of each individual person and family, is key,” the council said in a statement.
The resident, who did not share her name, raised safety concerns.
“They don’t bring the criminals from any jail, they bring the crazies from the nuthouse,” she said. She alleged that residents are violent.
“We’ve visited the house twice, including within the last month,” Pereira said. “There is nothing that we can do other than to make sure they are following village code. And they are following the village code.”
He said the village only has limited jurisdiction and that during their visit, they found no breaches of village code.
“New York State does not have, and has not had for a very long time, ‘insane asylums’ as you are describing them. That is a term that is no longer used,” Pereira said. “I think our approach to mental health is very different than that.”
She called the residents in these houses “crazies” and asked why the board is not enraged.
“What am I supposed to be outraged about, that people are following the law?” Pereira said. “If you had someone in your family who suffered with mental health or substance abuse, you would want them to be treated humanely.”
“Shame on you, you’re disrespecting the mayor,” Trustee Paul Cusato said as the resident left shouting “shame” at the board. “Shame on you for saying that, ma’am.”
