Shooting range discussed

A proposed $7 million indoor shooting range and law-enforcement training facility needs plenty of due diligence before getting a green light.

But if it gets that green light, construction could begin at Kalispell's southern edge next year.

An exploratory committee and city officials briefed the Kalispell City Council on the proposals during a Monday work session.

No near-term council decision was sought, but the council's interest in exploring the idea was gauged. The city could end up owning and staffing the facility.

In June, the U.S. Senate's Appropriations Committee recommended allocating $750,000 to build a law-enforcement training facility in Northwest Montana - likely in Kalispell.

The proposed 47,000- to 50,000-square-foot Northwest Montana Regional Public Safety Training Center would include indoor 50-yard and 100-yard shooting ranges that could be altered to become training areas for shooting scenarios.

The full Senate still has to vote on the proposed appropriation. Then the bill goes to a conference committee where the Senate and U.S. House will try to get their versions of the same bill to mesh.

The proposed appropriation sparked local efforts to design and build the center - probably in an open 2- to 5-acre field just east of the Old School Station industrial park.

An exploratory committee has been set up to nurture the project.

And right now, the committee is tackling numerous questions.

These include conducting a feasibility study and drafting a business plan; nailing down whether the preliminary $7 million estimate is on target; figuring out where donations, grants and matching funds will come from; mapping out staffing needs, who will participate and who will be in charge; what the development timetable will be; and coming up with a land-buying plan.

Council members were skittish about Kalispell providing more than a token amount of the preliminary $7 million estimate because of the city's current budget woes.

"I don't think the project fits with the state of the economy that we're in," council member Bob Hafferman said.

However, council member Hank Olson contended that the project could boost the local economy.

"This thing could be a very positive financial impact on us," Olson said.

The exploratory committee is looking at creating a nonprofit entity to seek state and private grants and donations. A grant is needed to conduct the feasibility study.

The committee has approached several agencies and organizations about using the facility.

These include law enforcement agencies across Montana, the Montana National Guard, the Montana Highway Patrol, the U.S. Border Patrol, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department for hunter safety courses, and private citizens practicing shooting.

The city and committee have sent inquiries to some gun manufacturers that might be interested in using the range to test-fire weapons. Those companies might become interested in setting up operations at Old School Station.

The possibility exists that the facility could later be expanded to include firefighter and rescue training.

Reporter John Stang may be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at jstang@dailyinterlake.com