Saugerties government officials took the oath of office during a ceremony on January 1 at the town hall. Each was joined by a family member and each gave a short speech.
“From what I saw as a young trooper in the Town of Saugerties police and what I see today is vastly different,” said newly appointed police chief Robert Nuzzo. “They carry themselves with pride and they serve this community in an exceptional manner.”
Nuzzo, a retired state police lieutenant colonel said the difference is the accreditation and professionalism the department gained under chiefs [Lou] Barbaria and [Joe] Sinagra. Accreditation depends on outstanding performance in many categories, Nuzzo said. “I hope we can be reaccredited. I hope to improve on what’s already been done in the police department and move forward.”
Nuzzo quoted the first superintendent of the State Police: “Treat the citizens as you wish to be treated yourself — with courtesy, with fairness and above all, with honesty. If they call for service, give them immediate attention no matter how trivial the request. It would mean a great deal to that person; probably very little to yourself, but most importantly a great deal to your department.”
Nuzzo said he is looking forward to working with everyone in the town and village and the police officers “in making Saugerties a safer and friendlier place for the people who come here and the people who live here.”
Nuzzo added that one of the main problems he will be addressing is staffing. “Right now the biggest problem is staffing. It’s not isolated to the Town of Saugerties, all departments are having a hard time finding qualified candidates. Finding people who want to go out and serve the community and help the public.”
Addressing a packed courtroom, supervisor Fred Costello said, “It’s overwhelming” and thanked the people for coming out to attend the ceremony. “I look across the room and feel so humble; you all have enriched our lives in so many ways there are no words to describe it.”
Costello noted that the ups and the downs of the job often come in bunches, “but we’ve all managed to get through all of that and hopefully we will share in making Saugerties a better place over the next two years. We have a lot to work on, a lot to be proud of and we are confident we can do it because you all will be there with us to help.”
Costello said he was glad that his mother was there. “She’s part of the reason we do this. She emigrated here with her sister. They built lives together, they were in businesses together.” His mother gave him a legacy, and the task to carry it on and make it better, he said.
Councilwoman Leeanne Thornton thanked her husband for his support through the years when the job involved seemingly endless meetings.
“On behalf of the family of Saugerties, I really appreciate the fact that all of you, whenever we asked, have stepped forward to serve on a committee, to put hours and hours into whatever we asked to make Saugerties special,” she said. Saugerties is “a festival town, and we’re the festival town because all of you make it happen.”
She asked that people continue to work on the town’s committees and organizations to keep Saugerties the festival town it has been. “We have a lot of surprises coming in 2024 — our animal shelter project, the Bristol Beach project, the playground project – and of course keeping in mind your tax dollars.”
“It’s a great honor to be part of this board for a second term,” said councilman Michael Ivino. “I wouldn’t want to be doing it with any group more than the group we have now,” he said, referring to the current town board. “It’s been a sheer pleasure to work for all of you and everybody in the Town of Saugerties.”
Receiver of taxes Diane Friedman thanked town clerk Lisa Stanley for telling her about the job opening and the town board for selecting her for the position. Fred [Costello] and Peg [Nau] were very encouraging in having me take the office of receiver of taxes.” She thanked her staff “for being so hard working.”
Judge Stan O’Dell said he is thankful to the people of the town for their trust and to his colleague, justice Chis Craft. He thanked the town board for “having faith in me and my ability to do the job.” O’Dell was also appointed by the village board to serve in the village court and was elected last year to a full term. He thanked the people of Saugerties “for giving me their vote.”
The path to the judgeship was difficult, O’Dell said, and he thanked the many people who helped him along the way, with a special nod to former justice Daniel Lamb.
In his benediction, Rabbi Itchy Heschel said, “We thank you for this special day as we gather for the swearing-in ceremony of this distinguished group of dedicated public servants.” He asked that the creator “strengthen the shoulders that will bear the burdens of this community.”
Heschel, referring to the newly elected officials as “custodians of public trust, asked that their “actions be guided by integrity. As custodians of public trust, may honesty and transparency be your bedrock.”
He told the officials to “remember the values that brought you here, the dreams that ignited your journey. May you never forget the people you serve and may their needs be your constant compass.”
Following the ceremony, Costello said one of the priorities of the coming term will be to improve Bristol Beach, a partial wilderness area and partial former industrial site near Malden. While the site may stay partly undeveloped, councilwoman Thornton said a hiking trail would be among the developments for the area.
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