Another stride was made toward reopening Tecumseh’s gun range as city council members selected the five members of a firing range committee group this week.
The group will be responsible for developing policies and procedures for the range’s safe operation, and council members will approve these at a later meeting.
The range, located on the south side of Tecumseh Lake, has been closed since early in the summer. Mayor John Collier made the emergency decision to close it after the council was made aware that civilian use of the range violated city code. Since that time, the council and members of the Tecumseh Shooting Club have worked together to reach common ground.
The council has agreed to allow the existence of the range, and will allow it to be reopened only after extensive guidelines have been put into place. The council tabled the opportunity to form the firing range committee at its October meeting, but at that time agreed the committee should be made of five people: a council member, two residents of Tecumseh, a shooting club member and a police officer.
Those appointed by the council this week were Ward 2 council member Jimmy Jordan; Tecumseh residents Bob Ward and Desiree Treeby; Tecumseh Shooting Club member Charles Price; and Sgt. Randy Toney, Tecumseh Police Department.
Ward 1 council member Trace Brown expressed frustration at forming a committee to do something he feels the shooting club and the city council can handle. Brown said the club knows enough about what needs to be done at the range.
“I don’t think you need a committee to do it,” he said. “I think we need to set up some guidelines. I don’t feel we need a committee.”
Earlier this year, the council questioned if National Rifle Association (NRA) standards could be implemented at the range. Price informed them that his research has shown only one range in the nation — an NRA range in New Mexico — is able to meet those standards.
Ward 3 council member Linda Praytor suggested the committee be in charge of speaking with the city’s liability coverage provider. Jordan agreed and suggested the gun club provide information on just how far they can go toward meeting the NRA standards.
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Jason Smith may be reached at 214-3932.
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Another stride was made toward reopening Tecumseh’s gun range as city council members selected the five members of a firing range committee group this week.
The group will be responsible for developing policies and procedures for the range’s safe operation, and council members will approve these at a later meeting.
The range, located on the south side of Tecumseh Lake, has been closed since early in the summer. Mayor John Collier made the emergency decision to close it after the council was made aware that civilian use of the range violated city code. Since that time, the council and members of the Tecumseh Shooting Club have worked together to reach common ground.
The council has agreed to allow the existence of the range, and will allow it to be reopened only after extensive guidelines have been put into place. The council tabled the opportunity to form the firing range committee at its October meeting, but at that time agreed the committee should be made of five people: a council member, two residents of Tecumseh, a shooting club member and a police officer.
Those appointed by the council this week were Ward 2 council member Jimmy Jordan; Tecumseh residents Bob Ward and Desiree Treeby; Tecumseh Shooting Club member Charles Price; and Sgt. Randy Toney, Tecumseh Police Department.
Ward 1 council member Trace Brown expressed frustration at forming a committee to do something he feels the shooting club and the city council can handle. Brown said the club knows enough about what needs to be done at the range.
“I don’t think you need a committee to do it,” he said. “I think we need to set up some guidelines. I don’t feel we need a committee.”
Earlier this year, the council questioned if National Rifle Association (NRA) standards could be implemented at the range. Price informed them that his research has shown only one range in the nation — an NRA range in New Mexico — is able to meet those standards.
Ward 3 council member Linda Praytor suggested the committee be in charge of speaking with the city’s liability coverage provider. Jordan agreed and suggested the gun club provide information on just how far they can go toward meeting the NRA standards.
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Jason Smith may be reached at 214-3932.
