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Cowlitz County staff recommends one‑year extension of gun‑range lease with Cowlitz Game and Anglers
Summary
Cowlitz County staff proposed a one‑year extension of the county’s lease with Cowlitz Game and Anglers to allow county staff to better understand gun‑range operations, support volunteers and preserve annual passes; board members signaled support but no formal vote was recorded.
Savannah, a public services staff member, told the board the county is proposing a one‑year extension of its current lease with Cowlitz Game and Anglers so county staff can learn operations at the gun range and provide additional support.
The extension would let county staff attend monthly Cowlitz Game and Anglers board meetings, work weekend shifts to observe paperwork and on‑site operations, and pursue better volunteer coordination for range events. Savannah said the proposal aims to maintain status quo while the county and the organization develop a longer‑term plan.
"Our team really wanted to continue a partnership to better understand the operations at the gun range, provide some additional support for a better customer experience there," Savannah said. Presenting the group, Savannah identified Steve Otto and Jason Hamers as the organization’s representatives; both indicated support for a one‑year extension.
County staff and counsel on the call explained the current lease originated in 2019 as a five‑year agreement that runs through December 2025 and that the sheriff’s office uses a law‑enforcement range that was intended to remain available to law enforcement under a sublease arrangement. County counsel said an amended sublease will be needed to preserve the sheriff’s access if the board approves any extension.
A member of the public asked how annual passes would be handled for people who bought multi‑date passes that extend into the extension period. Savannah said the staff recommendation is to continue honoring annual passes for their one‑year term as sold: "The annual passes ... are good for a year as you buy them, and we would continue to honor those to the community," she said.
Board members indicated general support for the one‑year extension during the discussion; staff said it would draft paperwork for a one‑year lease extension and the required sublease amendment for the sheriff. The board did not record a formal motion or roll‑call vote during the public session.
The next procedural step is for staff to return with draft documents and a clear cost estimate for review; staff also said they will attempt to involve legal and the sheriff’s office as needed for the sublease amendment.
