Neighbors of a recently used firearms range on Owen Countys landfill pressed commissioners on Tuesday, saying they were not given direct notice before sheriffs office personnel conducted live-fire qualification exercises and that the noise and safety risks harmed nearby residents.

The public comment period featured multiple adjacent landowners who said they learned about the days shooting only after hearing gunfire. One resident said he feared for his children and livestock and asked for written limits on range use. Several speakers asked why adjoining owners were not contacted in person rather than learning about the event through social media.

A sheriffs office firearms instructor responded with detailed accounts of the days training, saying the department ran qualification sessions and estimated the total actual trigger time at roughly 20 minutes and 4 seconds across morning and afternoon sessions. The instructor said the department fired pistol, rifle and shotgun rounds as part of standard qualification sequences and disputed social-media claims that the site was used for "constant" shooting all day. The instructor also described the constructed backstop and invited neighbors to inspect the safety features with staff.

Residents pressed other concerns: the potential for stray rounds, how frequently the range would be used, and whether allowing outside agencies to practice there could expand usage. A realtor who spoke said repeated use could depress property values for area owners.

The board and sheriffs staff agreed to next steps. Commissioners asked staff to compile documentation about the site, safety features and the process used to approve the training. They scheduled a site visit and public meeting for Monday, Dec. 1 at 10:00 a.m. to inspect the range and discuss a possible memorandum of understanding that would set written limits and notice procedures going forward.

Commissioners said they would post the paperwork and factual details on the county website and consider an email or notice list to alert adjacent landowners before future training days. No formal policy change was adopted at the meeting; board members said any expansion of use would require explicit board action.

The meeting record shows the county solicited public input and scheduled follow-up with sheriffs office representatives to resolve neighbors concerns.