1. Firing RangeCity of Kalispell
201 Is'Ave E. P.O. Box 1997
Kalispell, Montana 59903-1997
(406) 758-7000 Fax (406)7757
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Terry Milton, Director of Human Resources
James H. Patrick, City Manager
SUBJECT: Northwest Montana Regional Public Training/Testing Center
MEETING DATE: August 11, 2008
BACKGROUND: Law Enforcement personnel located in Northwest Montana are forced to
train and test at an outdoor, "makeshift" facility at Glacier International Airport or at landfills
and rural wooded properties. The FAA will require the range to be relocated due to air traffic
safety concerns; there are no other training facilities for law enforcement for relocation and fire
personnel have no training facilities at all in Northwest Montana. Over 1,000 local law
enforcement and fire personnel will utilize the proposed center including such agencies as
Border Patrol, Homeland Security, Montana Highway Patrol, National Guard and agencies in the
Northwestern United States.
The proposed Center will provide an indoor shooting area that will have between 25 - 35 100
yard shooting lanes. The main shooting area will be large enough to accommodate vehicles,
including buses, thereby creating true shooting scenarios (light and sound) in controlled training
conditions. State-of-the-art bullet traps and deflectors will be installed along with
environmentally friendly air movement/filtration systems for the protection of participants and
the public from lead exposure. An observation area, elevated and separated by glass, to deaden
the sound from observers, will be directly behind the shooting benches. The Center will also
have areas for simulator training, hand gun qualification, and gun manufacturer "proofing" of
their new weapons. Out year phases will include a fire training tower and burn rooms.
Montana is known for its support of large and small game hunting, as well as sports shooting
events. The State's Fish Wildlife and Parks is interested in participating in this venture to
provide an ideal opportunity for conducting Hunters" Safety courses provided by the State, as
well as supporting private citizen weapons safety and zeroing each year. There are also
opportunities for self defense programs, archery, and marksmanship competition.
As you are aware, the City submitted an earmark request to our Congressional delegation for the
funding of such a facility. We have been notified that the Senate Appropriations Committee has
recommended $750,000 for next fiscal year. This would be the largest appropriation awarded to
any City in Montana. The reason is that this would be a much needed training center for all law
enforcement agencies in Northwest Montana. The State is considering another $500,000 towards
this project in support of private gun industry's use of the facility. We are also in the process of
applying for several other grants for assistance as well as funding.
This facility has already attracted the attention of several national gun manufacturers as a draw to
locate their business in the industrial park. This facility has also caught the attention of law
enforcement agencies within 140 miles of Kalispell.
We do not want to rush into this project without doing our due diligence. The direction we are
currently taking is to brief Council and seek guidance, form a non-profit entity to receive
contributions and provide oversight, apply for a grant to conduct a feasibility study and business
plan, select a company to conduct the study and plan, review the recommendations, continue to
work on the needs analysis and corresponding conceptual layout of the building, option potential
property for the facility, and secure the funding before moving ahead with the facility.
At Monday evenings workshop the committee would like to update Council on these
opportunities.
o
Jaynes H. Patrick
City Manager