Residents, councilors discuss managed shooting ranges and grant funding as alternative to unsanctioned shooting

Residents and council members used the town-hall forum to explore managed shooting ranges as an alternative to unsanctioned firing on nearby BLM hills. Burke Mantel, who said he has managed gun clubs, advocated for more regulated ranges and urged city support for the Crowfoot Range as a less controversial option than a Willow Creek site.

Mantel described the Pittman–Robertson Act and grant opportunities for shooting programs, noting the federal excise‑tax funding stream that supports ranges. He said the act "sets aside about $8,000,000 every year for shooting programs," and described typical grant cost‑share arrangements where local clubs may cover a portion of project costs. Participants noted that grant funding would not cover all costs and that legal and community opposition can complicate siting.

Council and residents expressed mixed views about placing a new range near residential areas. Jonathan Seal and others cautioned that a Willow Creek range would soon sit amid new housing such as Val Nova and could be incompatible with nearby neighborhoods. No formal funding decision or endorsement was made; councilors asked staff to pursue information on grants and to coordinate with existing range operators.