Gun Range’s Fate May Fall to College

The city may ask Golden West College to operate a controversial shooting range after the city police union’s lease on the property expires in January.

The City Council voted at a closed-door meeting Oct. 7 not to renew the yearly lease of the shooting range by the city’s Police Officers Assn.

Councilman Peter Green said he had spoken with Hugh Foster, a representative of the Golden West College criminal justice training center, who indicated the college would be willing to take over management of the shooting range after the union’s lease expires Jan. 4.

Foster could not be reached Tuesday for comment.

The shooting range is considered crucial to the continued operations of the Golden West College Police Academy.

The city has discussed forming a partnership with the college to rebuild the shooting range, either at the current site or at a new location. But until a long-term decision is made, council members say they want to keep the range open.

Mayor Dave Sullivan and Councilman Tom Harman have been openly critical of the union’s $1-a-year lease of the Central Park shooting range. They say profits from the range are being improperly used by union officials for political activities, including a vigorous campaign against their reelection.

Union President Richard Wright said the shooting range is operating at a loss. Wright tried unsuccessfully to persuade the city to grant the union a long-term lease, which he said is necessary to secure financing to rebuild the decaying facility.

The 28-year-old range is on the site of a former landfill on unstable soil that leaks methane gas.

Council members took another vote on the lease near midnight Monday in response to the union’s criticism of the Oct. 7 closed-door vote.

Councilman Dave Garofalo cast the only vote against terminating the agreement, saying the union should at least be granted a month-to-month lease until a permanent solution is found.