Like all things in 2020, the induction of Bristol town leaders was not quite the same as normal on Monday night, but the town’s seven elected municipal leaders made the most of it, under the circumstances.

The five newly elected members of the Bristol Town Council, the incumbent town administrator and the new town clerk gathered inside Bristol Town Hall for a brief, four-minute ceremony. Joining them were the Hon. Richard Abilheira, who administered the oath of office, and Chris Vitale, the town’s economic development coordinator and unofficial tech expert, who remotely managed a three-camera broadcast of the event.

Town council Chairman Nathan Calouro introduced everyone in the room and explained to the public that they felt it was important to show up in person for this event, as a show of strength in government. They all wore masks and spaced themselves throughout the large council chambers for the ceremony.

“It’s a strange time,” Mr. Calouro said. “Bristol is a resilient place. My colleagues and I know that we will make it through this, and it will be partly because of us, but it will be mostly because of the residents.”

Mr. Abilheira then delivered the oath of office to Mr. Calouro, Antonio “Tony” Teixeira, Mary Parella, Timothy Sweeney and Aaron Ley, newly elected councilors, all of them incumbents. Next was Town Administrator Steven Contente, also an incumbent. Finishing the ceremony was the only new face in the group, Town Clerk Melissa Cordeiro.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Calouro said, “I know we are all extremely proud and humbled to be elected leaders of the Town of Bristol, and we all thank the voters for their trust, and their continued trust.”