Local trap club seeks fencing and window repairs; club says facility is public-access nonprofit

Jim McConnell, secretary and board member of the trap club, told the RAP-tax committee the nonprofit has operated the shooting facility for about 50 years and at the current site for about 35 years and requested two capital items: approximately $10,007.88 for 200 feet of 6-foot chain-link fence with two 20-foot rolling gates and roughly $43,000 to replace deteriorated clubhouse windows.

McConnell said the club is a volunteer-run 501(c)(4) and has about 40 annual members; it is open to the public on scheduled afternoons and weekend mornings and also hosts 15 weeks of 5-stand shooting during the summer. “We are open to the public two days a week, Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. We're totally operated by just our volunteer folks,” McConnell said.

Why it matters: Club leaders said fencing is intended to prevent unauthorized shooting and protect facilities from damage. They described prior RAP-tax and NRA grants that paid for skirting, concrete work and other improvements and said the club’s current finances are limited after recent events.

Committee exchange: Committee members asked whether the trap club met the RAP-tax eligibility test for “publicly owned recreational facility.” Staff clarified that RAP-tax guidance typically requires a publicly owned recreational facility for parks-related awards; the club said it operates by permit on city property though its equipment and clubhouse are owned by the organization. McConnell clarified membership fees mainly offset insurance and operating costs and reiterated that the facility is available to the public for scheduled times.

Next steps: No funding decision was made; the committee requested any clarifying documentation be included in the RAP-tax submission materials.