What the Chief and the Commissioner Said

Last Wednesday, HPD Chief Edward Moore and Police Commissioner Gary Graziano sent a press release to the Register-Star expressing their gratitude to the Richard & Terez Abatecola Foundation for the generous donation made to the Hudson Police Department. Instead of printing the press release as it had been submitted, the Register-Star folded it into an article that seemed more about the proposed police and court building going over budget than about acknowledging the contribution made by the Abatecolas: "Donation may be used for police/court complex." 

Gossips received that same press release from Graziano tonight and is happy to publish it exactly as it was written.

The Richard & Terez Abatecola Foundation Inc. was founded in 2005 as a charitable organization that generously gives back to the community. In the past 10 years the Abatecola's have provided vital funding to the Hudson City School District Food Bank/Backpack program, the Hudson Little League, the Columbia-Greene Humane Society, and flood victims in Greene County . . . to name a few.

The Hudson Common Council recently approved a resolution to accept a $10,000 donation earmarked for use by the Hudson City Police Department. Today [August 19, 2015], with gratitude, we accept the donation.

"It has been recognized for more than 20 years that the Hudson Police Station is inadequate and does not meet the needs of a modern police department. We have been working in concert with the city council for more than 2 years to create a new police station. The most recent stage in the development of this project was called 'value engineering.' The architect has taken our original plan and reduced the construction costs by removing many of the amenities and conveniences that would directly benefit our police officers. It is our intent to put the Abatecola gift into account, and apply the funding as we move through the construction process."--Chief Moore

"On behalf of the City of Hudson Police Department I am grateful and appreciative to Rich and Terez for their support of our department. I commend them for their generosity, not only to the HPD, but to the various organizations that they have helped over the last 10 years. It's satisfying that they choose to recognize our Department and for that we sincerely thank them for their vote of confidence."--Police Commissioner Gary Graziano