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Ellen Zoppo-Sassu, is currently in her first year serving as the Town Manager for Enfield, Connecticut. Appointed in December 2021, she had previously served as the Mayor of Bristol, Connecticut for four years (2017-2021). Since Bristol has a strong-mayor form of government with the mayor serving as the full-time municipal CEO, the transition to the Council-Manager form of government with the Town Manager serving as the full-time municipal CEO was an easy one. She also serves as the part-time Director of Development & Grants for the Bristol Historical Society.
Zoppo-Sassu’s interest in local government started as a young girl when she would attend Board of Finance meetings with her father. “I much prefer working on a local level because you can see the immediate results of your efforts,” she said. Whether it is a new ordinance for blight or the use of the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to fund policies and programs, actions are easy to see to fruition.
In Enfield, top priorities are the current efforts underway to revitalize Thompsonville and the Transit Oriented District (TOD) that surrounds it in advance of the proposed train platform that is set to be constructed next year; efforts to transform the Enfield Square Mall; and use ARPA funds for projects and the soon to be released “Small Business Assistance” and “Non-Profit Assistance” grants.
“We are also working closely with the Board of Education Administration, creating strategic planning objectives within departments and encouraging cross-collaboration among departments to leverage scarce resources and continue to provide a high level of services that Enfield residents have come to expect,” said Zoppo-Sassu.
She and her husband Peter, a retired Bristol Police Officer, have three adult children: Michaela, 25, a graduate of CCSU currently employed as a State of Connecticut Probation Officer; Zack, 23, a recently returned Army veteran; and Carson, 21, who works for a landscaping company while attending Tunxis Community College part-time.
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