Adair range getting new owner

It's official: There's a new owner in the future of the Adair Shooting Range.

During its regular meeting Monday, the Yuma County Board of Supervisors voted to start the process of transferring ownership of the range from the county to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

The range is currently operated by Adair Inc., which consists of five local sporting clubs that run the range based on their membership dues and fees associated with local law enforcement agencies using the range. When the commission does assume ownership of the range, Adair Inc. will continue to operate it.

Currently, there are no daily fees for recreational shooters, and representatives with both the commission and Adair Inc. said that will remain the same.

"We have no desire to change," said Ron Gissendaner, president of Adair Inc., during the meeting Monday.

Commission representatives gave a presentation to the board Monday and outlined the agency's experience with owning gun ranges.

After the presentation, representatives answered questions from the board, and the board had a chance to hear from members of the audience who attended the meeting.

While no one who spoke opposed the change, there were questions from both the public and the board.

In addition to question of cost, people wanted to know how a change in ownership could affect hours of operation at the range.

Supervisor Casey Prochaska, who represents the area where the range is located along Highway 95 northeast of Yuma, asked if recreational shooters would still be able to go out and shoot in the early morning.

A commission representative assured that the range will continue to be open during daylight hours.

With the transfer of ownership could come much-needed improvements, proponents said.

Vice Chairman Russell McCloud asked about the possibility of a fence around the range, and who would be financially responsible for it.

Yuma County resident Robbie Woodhouse, who currently serves on the Game and Fish Commission, said safety is the agency's number one issue. An evaluation will address some safety issues such as the possibility of a fence, he said.

It's a safety concern, Woodhouse said, as hikers and people on all-terrain vehicles are often seen in the area.

In his presentation to the board, Jay Cook, shooting branch chief for the commission, said there are several grant programs through both the state and federal government that they could apply for.

For people concerned that the state has enough budget worries, with a current projected deficit around  $2 billion, the commission representatives said the commission is funded with dues and a tax on ammunition.

The move also has the support of local elected officials, said state Rep. Lynne Pancrazi, D-Yuma, who spoke at the meeting Monday. She said though state Sen. Amanda Aguirre, D-Yuma, and state Rep. Russ Jones, R-Yuma, were not present, they both supported the change.

The next step will be for the commission to approach the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of Land Management, which jointly own the land, said Ric Bradford, resources program manager with Game and Fish.

Also at the meeting, the board approved the voting precinct boundaries for the 2010 general election Nov. 2, 2010.

In addition, the county will enter into an agreement with the city of Yuma to install a new flashing beacon at the intersection of Avenue D and County 11th Street (City 32nd Street).

With the approval of the consent agenda, the board also approved the Yuma County Public Health Services District to accept $475,167 in Public Health Emergency Response funds to be used for a mass vaccination campaign at local levels and to address any gaps in the capabilities for mass vaccination implementation plans and activities.

The district will also establish a budget authority of $202,000 for two full-time child care health consultant positions.