Norwich – The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to use $385,000 from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act federal grant to purchase nearly 30 acres off Ox Hill Road as a potential site for a new police station and to expand Mohegan Park.

The council voted for the expenditure among several re-allocations of the city’s remaining money from the $28.8 million two-year COVID-19 recovery grants.

Residents will vote on whether to build a proposed new $44.75 million police station at a Nov. 7 referendum.

The council removed $500,000 from the $715,000 earmarked to hire new police officers. Police Chief Patrick Daley said the department is having a difficult time hiring officers and likely could not use the ARPA money within the federal time limits. The council used $385,000 of the police money to cover the entire purchase price for the land.

Other re-allocations included adding $150,000 to the Uncas Leap Heritage Park project to reconstruct a stairway from Yantic to Sachem streets, used frequently by Norwich Free Academy students, added $186,719 to the reconstruction of the former YMCA into the new headquarters for Mattern Construction Co., and added $95,000 to a bridge construction project at the Norwich Golf Course.

The money for Mattern Construction is expected to be reimbursed through an outside grant and loan not yet available for the project, City Manager John Salomone told the council.

Speakers during public comment Monday offered mixed reactions to the use of ARPA funds to purchase the land for the police station. Resident Joanne Philbrick said the ARPA spending plan lacked long-term planning for how the new projects would be maintained over time when the grant money is gone.

She called the police station land purchase “one of the most ill-conceived projects,” questioning whether the city needs to add land to Mohegan Park.

Resident and business owner Mike Grillo said he strongly supports the police station and the purchase of the land, calling it an important project.

Last week, Daley said the department has used some ARPA money to hire three officers, who recently graduated from the Connecticut Police Academy. Three more had graduated about a month ago and are now in Norwich police training.

The department is trying to hire “at least 10 more officers,” but he is doubtful Norwich could find that many new officers.

“We kept some of the money for hiring but we just don’t think we can get that many,” Daley said.

c.bessette@theday.com