"I am looking for the quickest and most efficient way to get this figured out," Rowland said during a meeting with newspaper editorial page editors in Hartford Thursday. "I care (about) what's best for the students, not the towns."

With Rowland focused on finalizing a state budget and fielding inquiries from Preston and Sprague to host the college, City Council members said they had a last opportunity to determine a location to consolidate Three Rivers in Norwich. They are seeking to rally a consensus around the Thames Valley site on New London Turnpike.

"Norwich has yet another opportunity to present a location that is best for the students and the city," Mayor Arthur Lathrop said.

Lathrop said the Thames Valley campus is the fourth and last viable site in the city. Between the governor and the City Council, three other locations were rejected.

"I will continue to build community support for (Thames Valley), which would be a desirable one for all concerned," Lathrop said. "In my opinion this is our last bite at the apple."

A road connecting Thames Valley to Route 32 is imperative for a consensus, Lathrop said.

Many Thames Valley neighbors have expressed concern about increased traffic on New London Turnpike.

The City Council last week voted 4-2 to oppose the consolidation of Three Rivers Community College at the Mahan Drive site.

The vote came after public outcry that the location would congest an already overcrowded traffic situation and create further flooding problems.

"We are making a concerted effort to come up with a site (so we can) lay this to rest," Alderman Ben Lathrop said, adding that he is contemplating putting a resolution in support of the Thames Valley site on the agenda for the Aug. 4 City Council meeting.

"There are a lot of people working on this," Ben Lathrop said. "We don't want to lose this college to another town."

Five council members -- the mayor, Ben Lathrop, Todd Postler, Robert Booth and Jacqueline Plowden -- have publicly endorsed the Mahan Drive site.

Alderman John Paul Mereen believes the college should be consolidated downtown. Alderwoman Sofee Noblick has been unreachable for comment.

The governor allocated $75 million in bonded money for the project. But the money will not be made available this year because of the state budget crisis.

The governor repeatedly has said he would not build the college unless there was a consensus from the college and the town.

He recently said if the council passed a resolution opposing the Mahan Drive site, he would look for alternative sites outside Norwich.