On November 7 two important questions will appear on the municipal election ballot in Norwich.

Question 1 is an appropriation for $6 million in infrastructure funding to continue the investment in our city’s roads, bridges and related structures. Previous support over the last few decades by the voters in related ballot measures has always been supported. We strongly encourage voters to again support this community-wide endeavor.

Question 2 is an appropriation for $44.75 million for a much-needed and long-delayed replacement of our city police department facility. The current facility is grossly out of date and was undersized when it was built in the late 1970s. Our police officers have been forced to work under severely constrained conditions for decades. This inadequate and antiquated building needs to be replaced as soon as possible. It is a disservice to the men and women of the Norwich Police Department to continue to expect them to work under these totally inadequate conditions.

Public safety in this day and age is challenging, and we ask a lot of our police officers to serve and protect our lives, our families, our schools, our businesses and many other vital institutions that make our community whole. Over the years, previous mayors and alderpersons have struggled to formulate a solution to this problem. Several serious efforts were put forth to replace the current police headquarters. Unfortunately public support did not materialize. Today the problem continues to grow and the time to act is now. Our voters have made smart choices to continue the infrastructure program, rebuild our public schools, and upgrade our public water and sewer systems. One remaining project now needs your support. One remaining project needs to be accomplished on behalf of the officers and staff of the Norwich Police Department. The men and women who dedicate their lives to protect us need our support.

We respectfully ask all Norwich voters to support this question with a resounding YES vote. We owe it to ourselves, and to our fellow citizens to give our men and women of the Norwich Police Department the respect they earn by giving them a proper facility to work from and continue to do the job we all so vitally count on each day.

Please take the time to access all the information available on the need and the proposed project by contacting the Mayor’s Office, City Manager’s Office, and Police Chief Daley and read the Police Station Committee report.

Richard A. Podurgiel served as Norwich City Manager from 2002-05 and Alan H. Bergren served as Norwich City Manager from 2007-2015.