Norwich — For the second time, the City Council Public Safety Committee voted to recommend the city seek bids for an in-depth study of the city’s fire services, despite repeated objections that it should be put off until the COVID-19 emergency is over.

Alderman Joseph DeLucia, the committee chairman, called a special remote access meeting for Wednesday to hear additional public comment on the controversial matter after hearing complaints that last week’s meeting agenda had erroneous instructions for telephone public comment.

Several speakers, including some who spoke last week and at a previous full City Council meeting on the proposal, urged the committee to at least delay the study at least until the COVID-19 emergency is over. They called it a waste of valuable fire chiefs’ time during the emergency and a waste of taxpayer money when city revenues are expected to dwindle.

The committee voted 2-0 in favor of recommending the full City Council seek proposals for the study and that it be completed by Nov. 30. DeLucia and Council President Pro Tempore Mark Bettencourt voted in favor. Alderman William Nash, who voted against the recommendation last week, was unable to attend Wednesday’s meeting.

Bettencourt said the full City Council will discuss the issue at least twice, first on the request for proposals and then on whether to allocate funds once bids are received. He said if prices are “exorbitant,” he would not support spending the money.

Bettencourt also rejected a comment that the study is an attempt to spread the central city paid fire department property tax to cover the entire city.

c.bessette@theday.com