After little to no discussion Tuesday night, the Auburn City Council voted on a first reading to extend its moratorium on new needle exchange programs for another 180 days.

The extension gives councilors more time to consider an ordinance on how safe needle exchange programs can operate in the city, Mayor Jeff Harmon said. Councilors have been developing the ordinance since the first moratorium was put into effect last September.

Councilors have heard from area safe syringe program administrators, state officials and the city lawyer about what aspects of safe syringe programs it can regulate.

Discussions are ongoing and the fate of the effort is unclear. Some councilors feel safe syringe programs should be banned from operating in the city. Others are not against programs operating in the city, but would like to have some control over where they can operate and local regulations on other aspects of operations.

A number of residents have also spoken out against allowing safe needle exchange programs to operate in the city.

The needle moratorium extension was approved unanimously with Ward 1 Councilor Rachel Randall absent. The moratorium extension will go into effect after councilors approve it on second reading at the next council meeting Feb. 2.