By Rit Carter and Jack Krampitz
With any year in review, there is much to pick over. However, when historians place Bristol of 2021 under the microscope, there will be plenty to dissect, especially in politics.
Several long-standing pillars of the community celebrated anniversaries in 2021. Lake Compounce, the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the country, celebrated 175 years. Meanwhile, Bristol Hospital and Bristol’s Veterans Memorial Boulevard celebrated 100, and the Bristol Historical Society marked 50 years.
January 2021
The month began with the horrific attack on the capital in Washington on Jan. 6. Although this was not a Bristol event, it captured the attention of everyone in Bristol and the rest of the United States. As of this writing, an investigation into the attack on the citadel of American Democracy has begun.
Also, in January, Bristol resident Sarah Larson was named one of the “30 Under 30” young professionals in the U.S. by the National Parks and Recreation Association. Larson was chosen because of her impact on the Bristol community and her innovative ideas.
The effects of COVID were still being felt. Bristol schools implemented a system where students could choose to come to school in person or to remain in remote learning.
Vaccinations were becoming available first to the elderly and physically compromised people in the country. Many took advantage of these vaccinations, but a significant percentage of people refused to participate.
The same was true with the issue of masks, as most citizens wore masks to protect themselves while others saw it as an infringement on their rights.
High School sports returned in January on a limited basis, as basketball was allowed a shortened schedule with few fans in the bleachers.
Wrestling, however, did not take place in 2021, and football, which hoped for permission for an abbreviated season, was also nixed.
February and March
In February and March, two Junior Bristol basketball players dominated the headlines.
Donovan Clingan was voted the best basketball player in Connecticut by Gatorade, averaging almost 30 points and 15 rebounds a game, while leading his team to an undefeated season. Without a state tournament, Bristol Central took satisfaction with being voted the number one team in Connecticut.
And Ciara Collins from Bristol Eastern was dominant on the girls’ side, leading the Lancers in just about every statistical category.
In March, the surprising issue of term limits arose as the first central talking point of the Republican Party in Bristol. The issue emerged as Bristol’s Charter Revision Committee was informed that the term limit requirement approved in a local election eight years earlier was probably illegal, as it was done without the required permission of the State Legislature. Republicans, led by their chairman, Jeff Caggiano, claimed that it was a plot by Democrats to overturn the will of Bristol voters. The 2021 election was underway.
April and May
In April, construction of two solar farms proceeded on Chippens Hill on land where the Minor Farm and Robert’s Farm had previously been functioning apple orchards. The two solar facilities are capable of providing electricity to the rough equivalent of 2,000 Bristol households.
In May, Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu established a bi-partisan task force to address the $28 million that was awarded to Bristol by the American Rescue Fund passed by Congress.
Also, in May, the City Council voted to remove a question on term limits from the 2021 Charter Revision proposed changes. Instead, they sent a formal request that the city’s state legislative delegation attempt to gain approval from the legislature, making the term limit requirement in Bristol legal.
June and July
The city received a $2 million grant to rehabilitate the Sessions Building on Riverside Ave. in June. Most of the grant will go to the building’s environmental cleanup, which will lead to its conversion to a 91-unit apartment building.
The Memorial Boulevard was closed to allow construction of a new bridge over the Pequabuck River at the end of the Boulevard.
The Rockwell Park Concert Series was launched in June and continued throughout the summer. During June, July, and August, thousands of Bristolites enjoyed the free concerts each week.
In July, Bristol Central’s two outstanding athletes, Donovan Clingan and Victor Rosa, announced their commitments to attend UConn and play basketball and football, respectively.
August and September
August brought the dog days of summer and the retirement of Bristol’s highest-ranking black police officer, Deputy Chief Stephen Tavares. Tavares retired to become Eastern Connecticut State University’s chief of its police force.
The summer tradition of the Eastern Regional Little League Baseball Tournament returned to Mix St. with games in early August. Girls’ softball returned first with tournament play in late July.
There was tragedy, as well. Colin McFadden, a 26-year-old Burlington Volunteer Firefighter, EMT, and Bristol resident, had a medical emergency at a historic New Hartford building fire. Two days later, he passed from complications as a previously undiagnosed medical condition was discovered during his treatment. His wake and funeral drew mourners from all over the state.
September arrived bring rain, lots of rain, in fact from Storm Ida. As much as six inches of rain was deposited, overflowing Bristol’s streams and flooding local roads and many basements.
Crowley Kia was flooded from the Pequabuck River 
Little League Juniors field on Mix St.
September also saw about 20 protestors, including men, women, and children, upset with the mask mandate in Bristol Public Schools, stand on the sidewalk outside the Board of Education Building on Church St. before the BOE’s monthly meeting.
As a revolutionary war drummer tapped put duty calls on his snare drum, and with American flags waving and noisemakers filling the air, a man armed with a bullhorn called for the resignation of BOE president Jennifer Dube: “Jennifer Dube resign you are a disgrace to Bristol!”
October and November
Mayor Ellez Zoppo-Sassu and Republican challenger Jeff Caggiano debated at St. Paul Catholic High School. Both candidates made their arguments to be mayor but the highlight of the evening was the fire alarm that went off during the first question.
November brought wind and leaves but also the top story of the year. Not only the upset win of Jeff Caggiano over Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu, but the Republican party completely seizing power of the city council.
Voters frustrated with Washington took out their dissatisfaction with the local democrats and ousted a popular mayor, who brought many projects to Bristol. Voters responded to Caggiano’s Facebook videos and simple messaging. The Republicans also worked hard to register new voters. Meanwhile, rank and file Democrats stayed home, thinking they had an easy win on their hands.
Caggiano’s government got off to a rocky start, however. The newly minted mayor stiff-armed a traditional swearing-in and instead became Bristol’s first mayor to take the oath in a church under a Christian cross while a police honor guard stood in the background. The intention was to hold the event in a setting with no mask mandate, but the optics were wrong while well-intended.
The new mayor’s inauguration speech played well, acknowledging those that voted for him, but it also reached out to those that did not. He found space within the address to thank the previous administration for its help and hard work several times.
December
This was followed by December’s city council debacle.
With a solid democratic council, the previous administration entered a purchase agreement with Wheeler Clinic. The deal called for constructing a 35,000 ft three-story building at Bristol Centre Square.
The freshman city council ignored the new mayor’s plea to approve the project and disregarded the most respected businessman in town, Tom Barnes Sr., the Chairman of the Board of the Barnes Group. Mr. Barnes rarely attends city council meetings and only lends his voice to worthy projects, so his presence in the chamber should have carried some sway. He spoke briefly and succinctly while encouraging a yes vote, “I think if you were to ask the businesses that are around that area today, they would all say, ‘We’d love to have 200 people walking around the Center Mall property. It would help them as they try to survive.’ “
Led by Councilwoman Cheryl Thibeault, the project was torpedoed.
As the game clock was running out on 2021, the Omicron variant of the coronavirus forged ahead of other variants to be the dominant strand. The result led to an uptick in the numbers, with predictions, and fears of a winter COVID surge accelerated.
Due to the recent spike in numbers, frustration over long lines at the testing facility on N. Main St. led to an unidentified female threatening to shoot people at the site. The facility closed, and when it reopened the following morning, there was a police presence there.
Due to concerns over the spike, Bristol Hospital took precautionary measures and implemented a no visitation policy, which went into effect on New Years’ Eve.
Bristol in 2022 will be dotted by success and failure. Hopefully, we can all meet here again on the cusp of 2023 and go over the details.
