Cowlitz County commissioners and staff believe the county-owned gun range can make money — despite recent financial reports saying otherwise — so the parks department and sheriff's office are temporarily taking over management.
Once the range at 1000 Toutle Park Rd. in Castle Rock is proven to make a profit, the county plans to reopen bids for a third-party vendor to run the site.
A recent request for proposals returned one option: Longtime operator Cowlitz Game and Anglers, said Public Works Director Mike Moss in an email to The Daily News.
The volunteer-run organization has managed the range for nearly 13 years, according to the Cowlitz Game and Anglers website, but the county did not select them to run the facility again.
Cowlitz Game and Anglers tentatively plans to close the range on Dec. 28, as its contract expires Dec. 31, the website states.
The county reports staff will take over operations on Jan. 1, but need to reduce the schedule during the transition period with no exact hours set yet.
"We've had quite a few years under status quo and we know what that looks like," Commissioner Rick Dahl said at the Nov. 10 county meeting. "Or we can try something different to build out."
At that meeting, Commissioner Steve Rader said only one bidder offered to manage the range because records show the site doesn't make a profit, and therefore doesn't make sense financially.
"If I'm a business owner and I'm looking at the books that this place has, and the fact that it's being subsidized, ... I'm not interested," he said.
Moss said the county spends $50,000 on expenses annually under Cowlitz Game and Anglers management. In a follow-up email, he said such expenses include range repairs, maintenance and operational costs like garbage and electricity.
Moss added that the county aims to charge a new operator a lease fee to continue covering expenses and future capital projects, while the operator would maintain profits.
Additional money for the county to temporarily operate the site would come out of the general fund, he said at the meeting.
Under county management, the parks department will handle janitorial services when making the rounds at nearby sites like Harry Gardner Park, he added.
Rader noted that the number of visitors at the range has lowered over the years.
Moss said about 6,000 visitors use the range a year, but staff aims to increase that. He emphasized focusing on customer service to draw repeat customers.
Commissioner Steven Ferrell was skeptical, particularly since hours would initially be reduced.
"I guess my first impression looking at this is, this is a considerable more cost for a whole lot less service to the public," he said.
Despite Ferrell's hesitation, Rader and Dahl asked staff to move forward with managing the range.
Moss acknowledged the expenses would be higher for a time under county management, until staff increases profits and decreases expenses to show possible managers the range's potential.
He said he was hoping for about five bidders to run the site, but only received the one from Cowlitz Game and Anglers. The plan for the county to operate the range is a back up.
"It wasn't the goal of public works or sheriff's office to be asking to run a gun range," he said at the meeting.
One way to earn revenue is for the parks department to hold marksmanship competitions like turkey shoots, Moss said. The range could also offer more shooting options at the 100-yard range and more hours for high school students to practice trap shooting.
Cowlitz County Chief Administrative Deputy Jordan Spencer said at the meeting there is potential to secure more contracts from agencies needing to use the gun range for trainings.
Moss added that staff plans to also look for other volunteers to help at the site.
If the county didn't take over operations and the range closed, staff would have to return Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office grants used to run the site, which was originally roughly $750,000. Staff said returning the money could hurt the county when applying for future grants from the office.
Moss estimated a range officer, who would be a sheriff's office employee, would cost $60,000 a year under a revised draft temporary schedule in which the range is open a few days a week.
Under Cowlitz Game and Anglers, the site is open six days a week and a volunteer serves as the range officer.
At the meeting, staff discussed possibly reopening the range on Jan. 24. During January, February and March, the range would only be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, but then expand over time, according to the draft schedule.
However, in his follow-up email, Moss said it's too early to give exact times as staff are finalizing the schedule.
