Elyria might get shooting range

City Council Finance Committee begins process of creating range for police

Elyria Police Department might be getting its own shooting range.

In a City Council Finance Committee meeting on July 27 members approved a memorandum of understanding with the FBI which will begin the process of creating the new shooting range.

Safety Service Director Derek Feuerstein said City Council previously approved a feasibility study at 851 Garden St. for a shooting range. Elyria police had been interested in building one at the location but the FBI expressed interest in building a facility that other departments and agencies can use

“Previously EPD had talked about building a range, an outdoor range. Through some connections, being the center of a geographic region there was an interest in the FBI to build a more state-of-the-art facility there,” Feuerstein said.

The property is owned by the city and is near the sanitation and street departments as well as the central maintenance garage.

laquino@morningjournal.com

“Through some connections, being the center of a geographic region there was an interest in the FBI to build a more state-ofthe-art facility there.” — Safety Service Director Derek Feuerstein

Feuerstein said the feasibility study is in progress but the memorandum of understanding will be the groundwork if the FBI decides to build in Elyria and sets up how everything would work.

“So the MOU is setting up how the relationship works with Law Director (Amanda) Deery’s office, work with engineering, finance and law to make sure we are all on the same page,” he said.

According to Feuerstein, Elyria is responsible

for bidding out the building and the facility and the FBI would reimburse almost all the costs. Feuerstein said the city will have to come back to council to start the building process.

The FBI has not decided officially on Elyria as its location. The organization is looking at locations in several cities across the U.S. Although Feuerstein said the Cleveland FBI is excited about the possibility, the decision will need to come from the Washington D.C. offices.

Feuerstein said the FBI is likely to make a decision in August.

Councilwoman Brenda Davis, D-2nd Ward, asked if the city has taken into consideration what surrounds the potential location, including several apartments, houses and a detention facility.

Chief Duane Whitley said the location is further away from the apartments. He said his staff did noise studies and found no issues within it

“It’s closer towards Murray Ridge and is further away from the apartment,” Whitely said.

In addition, Deery said her department approved the agreement and is comfortable moving forward.

“What we’ve heard thus far is it will be a state-ofthe-art facility and will be very secure in terms of safety, health and quality of life around the surrounding areas,” Deery said. Elyria doesn’t have its own shooting range and the officers have to go elsewhere to qualify. That sometimes costs the department money, and having a shooting range would remove that cost and possibly raise revenue for the department. The memorandum of understanding will go to the full city council for final approval at its next meeting at 7 p.m. on Aug. 3.