More progress made on reopening firing range

Progress continues on reopening Tecumseh’s firing range, which has been closed since early summer.
Tecumseh City Council members agreed this week to form a firing range committee group to act as oversight for the range. Mayor John Collier said it is his feeling that if a range is present, a group needs to be in place to make sure all policies and standards are enforced.
Collier made an emergency decision in June to close the range, located south of Tecumseh Lake, when it was pointed out to the council that civilian discharge of firearms within city limits violated city ordinance. Over the next few months, the council and members of the Tecumseh Gun Club worked together to reach common ground, and club members requested that city ordinance be reworded to allow for civilian use of the range.
At the time the range was closed, Resolution 628 of the city’s code read that “every person who wilfully discharges any pistol, rifle, shotgun, airgun or other weapon within the city limits is guilty of a misdemeanor.” The only exception written into the resolution was law enforcement officials.
The purpose of the firing range committee group will be to determine what criteria, based on National Rifle Association standards, need to be in place before the triggers are pulled. Gun club member Charles Price has agreed to help with this task, but has told the council that the range will not be able to meet the “optimum” NRA guidelines. No range in the area, including the one used by the Shawnee Police Department, can meet those guidelines, he said. The closest range that has reached that level is an NRA range in Raton, N.M.
Council members decided that the five-person group will consist of a council member, a Tecumseh police officer, two members of the community and a member of the gun club. Who will fill these roles will be decided at a later date.
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Jason Smith may be reached at 214-3932.