NORWAY — With a deadline approaching at the end of the month, the Norway City Council decided Wednesday to pursue a community-oriented policing services grant that would help pay for an additional officer.

COPS is a federal grant that would provide $125,000 over three years toward the position with the stipulation the city would have to continue employing the officer for at least a fourth year.

The Norway Police Department is a 24/7 operation with a chief and four officers. It previously had an additional officer who was not replaced after retiring.

The current staffing level has put a strain on the department, Norway City Manager Dan Stoltman said.

“I know they are putting in a lot of overtime and they are getting burned out; they cannot take vacations,” Mayor Candy Brew added.

Even with the grant, hiring an additional officer would still cost the city about $40,000 a year. At the same time, an additional officer could save the city $20,000 a year in overtime pay.

Stoltman said the upcoming proposed budget will need to be modified to reflect the changes.

In other business, the council:

— Heard Mindy Meyers, executive director of the Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance, report the alliance is working to make the Dickinson County area a robust community for living and working, with four task forces focusing on housing and infrastructure, government relations, small business retention and talent and education.

Meyers also told the council about the Belong Dickinson campaign, which was launched in January and is designed — through personal stories from local residents and professionals — to promote the Dickinson County area as an ideal place to live, work and send children to school.

— Received an update from Stoltman on efforts to replace the 35-year-old wooden Knights’ Kingdom playground, at an estimated cost of $480,000. The city currently has $288,000 allocated from funds received by selling renewable energy certificates.

For construction to begin this year, the city would have to borrow money from the electric department’s fund balance. The other option would be to postpone the project for a year to get more money from REC sales and fundraising.

The council will discuss when to start construction at the next meeting. Meanwhile, Brew urged that anyone interested in donating time or money to a new Knights’ Kingdom contact the city.