The Eugene City Council voted 6-2 today to move forward with spending $16 million in reserves to move the police department to a commercial office building across the river next to the Eugene Country Club.

The motion was to bring back a purchase option for the privately owned building. “It’s the next logical step,” said Councilor Alan Zelenka.

The council vote defies the will of the voters who have defeated ballot measures for a new police station three times. Councilors Betty Taylor and George Brown opposed the motion. Councilors Alan Zelenka, George Poling, Jennifer Solomon, Chris Pryor, Andrea Ortiz and Mike Clark voted for it. Mayor Kitty Piercy votes only in case of a tie and did not take an intelligible position on the controversy.

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