Norwich — Mayor Peter Nystrom summed up 2020 as “daunting” and “challenging” during his annual State of the City address Monday, noting that the coronavirus greatly impacted businesses large and small and changed the everyday city government operations.

But even the COVID-19 pandemic was overshadowed Monday by news that Jason Vincent, president of the Norwich Community Development Corp., was missing, and a body matching Vincent’s description had been found Monday in a West Virginia river. 

Nystrom’s overview of the city’s response to the pandemic had Vincent’s contributions throughout, from the city’s effort to reach out to businesses impacted by COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions to providing assistance to displaced workers at the Freeport-McMoRan Copper Products plant, which closed  permanently in August. Many employees have found new jobs, he said.

Nystrom thanked NCDC, along with local banks for helping Norwich businesses tap into the federal Payroll Protection Program's forgivable loans.

Nystrom also described the new program to be administered by NCDC to provide grant assistance to small businesses for COVID-19 safety protocols. Vincent had outlined plans for launching the program at the Dec. 21 City Council meeting.

“The process of distributing these available dollars from the federal government will allow us to also protect the many small businesses that have invested in our community over the last several years and further,” Nystrom said, “particularly the minority-owned businesses that you can see in Foundry 66 and other areas in downtown and across the city.”

In his major initiative for the coming year, Nystrom proposed that the City Council authorize renewal of the 10-year $3.38 million downtown revitalization bond program — also administered by NCDC — with some key changes. The current program expires in April.

Nystrom would like a new program to be expanded citywide, rather than just downtown, and that the program include funding for building code improvements and a rental assistance component. Nystrom did not propose a dollar amount for the new program. Any amount over $800,000 would need voter approval at a referendum.

Nystrom touched on other major events and efforts of 2020, praising the city’s efforts to distribute food to people in need at mobile food pantries and distributions of turkeys prior to the holidays. He thanked Jillian Corbin, executive director of the St. Vincent de Paul Place soup kitchen, and Norwich Human Services Director Lee Ann Gomes for their efforts, and city Planning Director Deanna Rhodes and Alderwoman Stacy Gould, who spearheaded a fundraiser selling donated shoulder bags to raise $4,400 used for grocery gift cards for needy families.

Nystrom praised the city's response to the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May that sparked nationwide and local protests against police misconduct. Norwich protests remained peaceful, and city police spent the subsequent months meeting with a group of activists and co-hosting neighborhood improvement projects, community gatherings, food distribution events and holiday programs.

“We gathered together giving voice for our people who needed to share their concerns regarding police accountability,” Nystrom said. “With almost immediate response, local community leaders and community police officers took action to gather every week and continue their dialogue.”

Nystrom thanked community policing Sgt. Nicholas Rankin, police officers and all who participated and Chief Patrick Daley for supporting the efforts. Nystrom said they will “move toward the goal of improving social equality and equity for people of all color and walks of life.”

c.bessette@theday.com