The Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners voted to extend Cowlitz Game and Anglers' contract to manage the county gun range by one year, backtracking on an earlier decision to transfer management to the county parks department and sheriff's office.
The board did not give a reason for its decision, which it made as part of the consent agenda for its Dec. 30 meeting.
County Commissioner Rick Dahl said the county determined that its goals for the range were still aligned with Cowlitz Game and Anglers, and that the two have agreed to work more closely together over the next year.
"We'd prefer someone else run it over the county, there's no doubt about that," he said.
Cowlitz Game and Anglers, a volunteer-run organization, has managed the range for nearly 13 years. Its contract was originally set to expire Dec. 31, 2025, but now runs through the end of 2026.
The gun range's operating schedule and fees will not change, according to a county press release sent out on Thursday. Under the county's management, the schedule was expected to drop to only a few days until staff became acclimated.
The press release also states that the county will provide funding dedicated to building maintenance and utilities, but does not specify an amount. Dahl estimated that maintenance costs for an average year typically come out to around $50,000.
Public Works Director Mike Moss previously told The Daily News that Cowlitz Game and Anglers was the only organization that responded when the county put out a request for proposals to manage the range.
Instead of accepting the proposal, the board voted at a Nov. 10 meeting to transfer management to the county in an attempt to increase its profits.
Dahl said the county would like to maintain a relationship with Cowlitz Game and Anglers, but can't assume that it will continue running the range forever because of the volunteer nature of the organization.
The county press release states that the range's average annual attendance over the last eight years is more than 4,500 users.
