Daily News from New York, New York • 8

irDfcjfl too W(g Gracie Mansion curator burned on staff notices By JOEL SIEGEL their status. Reese, who became curator under former Mayor Ed Koch, is a city employe assigned to the Mayor's Office at a salary of $48,635. Fella has a job Giuliani spokesman Richard Bryers downplayed Reese's actions, saying Giuliani intends to keep the curator on. "It's no great shakes. The fella has a job come Jan.

1," Bryers said. At least one other piece of mansion business remains unsettled before the new mayor takes occupancy torical aspects of the upper East Side mansion, including tours and its operation as a museum. As such, only one part-time employe reported to him, officials said. Bonner oversees the rest of the mansion, including the kitchen, and reports directly to Fife, officials said. Fife, whose oversight of parks and historic buildings includes the mansion's operations, suspended Reese last week, through the end of Din-kins' term (Dec.

31), officials said. The suspension came a few days after Reese told the chef and the administratpr what to do with the high-priced headboard that created a political headache for Dinkins. The headboard was built by a city carpenter, and friends of Dinkins later reimbursed the Gracie Mansion Conservancy just under $8,000 for the cost, and the conservancy reimbursed the city. Jones said Dinkins could take it with him when he leaves, but has not decided whether to do so. Giuliani has no plans to use it.

"The Giulianis have their own furniture," Bryers said. er staff in the mayor's official residence. City Hall officials contended. "He mishandled, severely mishandled, the dismissals. He exercised supervisory authority he never had.

He has no say over the staff of the mansion they don't work for him," said Leland Jones, a spokesman for Mayor Din-kins. Caught in middle "He put himself in the middle of something and had no right to do so." As curator, Reese only is supposed to oversee the his Daily News City Han Bureau Chief Transition tensions appear to be turning Gracie Mansion into Peyton Place. Officials yesterday said Deputy Mayor Barbara Fife suspended mansion curator David Reese for carrying out Rudy Giuliani's wishes to hand the mansion's chef and executive administrator their walking papers. Reese had no authority to pink slip chef Christopher N'icolelis and administrator Hiram Bonner, and his action caused an uproar among oth BY ROSEMARY METZLER LAVAN Da News Business Wnter Wal-Mart Stores, the nation's largest retailer and arguably the largest firearms merchant, said yesterday it will stop selling handguns 4itrSrJSJfJSrit--V--(r-r-irT--r--f arms. Henigan said that last October a Florida woman, who was paralyzed from the neck down with a gun purchased at Kmart, was awarded $11.5 million after a jury concluded Kmart was negligent in selling a gun to her drunk boyfriend.

"He was so intoxicated that the Kmart clerk had to fill out the forms for him." said Henigan. On Friday, a gunman used a rifle purchased at a pawnshop to kill two people in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Hugo, before killing himself. Sears stopped selling handguns in the 1960s and discontinued selling other firearms in the 1980s. A Kmart spokeswoman said the company no longer sold handguns but continues to sell hunting and sporting firearms. over the counter.

Handguns will still be available through vendor's catalogues at its stores. Rifles and shotguns will still be in stock. "The mood of the country has changed, is changing," Wal-Mart spokesman Don Shinkle said. "Some of our customers want to purchase handguns from us. But we also recognize there is another segment of customers who are uncomfortable in stores that sell handguns on the premises." The company said its decision wasn't related to either the recent Brady gun law or a lawsuit filed by survivors of a couple whose mentally ill son killed them with a gun he bought from Wal-Mart.

The slain couple's family contends store employes were negligent when they sold the couple's son a handgun even though he acknowledged on the required form that he had been treated for mental problems. "I hesitate to read the corporate mind." said Dennis Henigan. director of the Legal Action Project for the Washington. DC-based Center To Prevent Handgun Violence. "But we have seen a pattern of lawsuits against mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart and Kmart From my point of view, yesterday's decision reflects society's view that guns are different from other products.

You can't have the same people who sell mops selling fire ALL I WANT for Christmas is my AT-22 semi-automatic rifle is what Peggy Derheim seems to be saying after selecting weapon at Robbinsdale, gun shop this week. Toys-for-guns swap a hit in precinct she needed the gift certificate to buy toys for her family. Although increased police presence has cut the homicide rate in the 34th Precinct from over a hundred last year, to 72 this year, Washington Heights remains one of the city's most dangerous neighborhoods. Kelly said the police department's own gun buy-back program is running out of funds after netting 3.600 guns in 20 months. Fifty-four of those were turned in at the 34th Precinct.

By SAMSON MULUGETA Daily News Staff Writer A teenage girl who walked into the 34th Precinct in Washington Heights carrying a handgun yesterday was met with smiles and a thank you instead of criminal charges. In exchange for the gun, the girl was given a $100 gift certificate for Toys Us. She also got a hug from Washington Heights businessman Fernando Mateo, sponsor of Operation Guns for Toys, which offers the gifts to anyone who surrenders a weapon. Mateo, 35, said he's pouring up to $5,000 of his own money into the program because guns are bleeding his neighborhood. "You don't have to hurt anyone, or commit violent crimes, to put toys under your trees," said Mateo, who owns a carpet store.

"We're calling it the Miracle of the 34th Precinct," said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. The unidentified teen all participants are promised anonymity said.