In 2013, Groton learned that the way it's always done things isn't necessarily for the best. The town also coped with major, unplanned upheavals.

They affected nearly every aspect of municipal life: Business, education, public safety and politics.

This past year, one of the community's largest employers started tearing down its former research headquarters. The Board of Education fired the superintendent of schools. The town's largest fire district faced near bankruptcy and had to close one of its two fire stations. Voters supported newcomers for Town Council and the Board of Education, and Democrats won a majority on the council for the first time in 30 years.

Following her election as mayor, Democrat Rita M. Schmidt said: "We will go forward. ... And we will grow the Groton economy in these very difficult times."

Perhaps the biggest blow came late last March, when Pfizer Inc. announced it would tear down the company's sprawling former research headquarters off Eastern Point Road.

The decision stunned local and state officials who had invested thousands of hours trying to reuse the space to spur economic development. A developer offered to buy the 750,000-square-foot complex known as Building 118, but the deal fell through.

The decision prompted a renewed look at Groton's reliance on major employers, and whether it could and should do more to support and promote small businesses.

That same month, Groton Public Schools coped with its own upheaval.

On March 5, an arbitrator ruled that former School Superintendent Paul Kadri had engaged in conduct "warranting termination of his employment," and the school board fired him.

The decision followed an investigation into Kadri's treatment of employees, after his former executive assistant complained that he was abusive and threatening to her. Other employees, mostly women, also said they were humiliated at work.

Kadri maintained throughout that he did nothing wrong, and has since challenged the decisions that led to his firing.

But the school board moved ahead to find a new superintendent and hired Michael Graner, the former superintendent in Ledyard. He started in Groton on Jan. 2.

Also in March, the panel overseeing the town's largest fire district got bad news.

An auditor told the Poquonnock Bridge Fire District Board that it had zero dollars in a fund where it needed $3 million.

Then on May 13, hundreds jammed the fire district's annual meeting and approved a budget of $3.5 million, not enough to cover payroll and deepening the district's financial crisis. Angry taxpayers began attending board meetings, frightened about the implications for public safety.

Resident Cindy Baril told the board in July taxpayers should get answers.

"You are entrusted with a huge amount of tax money collected from us and it is definitely our business what you do with it," she said.

Voters later approved a higher budget for the district, but the fire department still had to close one of its two stations, at 13 Fort Hill Road, on Nov. 1.

Finally, voters cast ballots for change during the November elections. Democrats won a majority on the Town Council for the first time in 30 years, ousting two Republican incumbents. Democrats Genevieve Cerf, Bob Frink, Rich Moravsik and Joe de la Cruz won seats on the nine-member council. Schmidt and Republicans Heather Bond Somers, Harry Watson, Deborah Peruzzotti and Bruce Flax were re-elected.

Republican incumbents Dean G. Antipas and Karen F. Morton were unseated.

In the Board of Education race, challengers also unseated two incumbents: Republican Robert Peruzzotti and petitioning candidate Chaz Zezulka.

Democratic newcomer Mary Kelly won the most votes and Republican newcomer Andrea Ackerman took the second seat. Democratic incumbent Kirsten Hoyt held onto her seat and Democratic challenger Joey Schick won the fourth open seat on the board.

Businessman Sanjay Vachhani, who cast his ballot on Election Day, said then that change could be helpful.

"A lot of times, some changes brings better things to the community," he said.

D.STRASZHEIM@THEDAY.COM