In an ideal world, the city of Auburn would have a public safety building with easy access to both the downtown and Center Street.

However, the recession of the last two years has turned aspirations for what’s best to desperation for anything that saves money.

The City Council voted Monday night to abandon the Minot Avenue Police Station, move police administration and detectives to the third floor of City Hall and the patrol division to the basement, saving $57,000 per year.

It is, of course, awkward to have the department divided by an elevator ride, but it’s workable. Locating police vehicles in the municipal garage will remove some spaces from public use, and it is difficult to imagine squad cars zooming out of the garage in an emergency and running right into bumper-to-bumper traffic.

But the prime directive to all levels of government at this time is to conserve resources and save money.

Although not ideal, the plan approved Tuesday night does both.

editorialboard@sunjournal.com