PANAMA CITY — The Bay County Commission on Tuesday is scheduled to vote on a comprehensive agreement with a state agency to operate a new gun range in Bay County.
The commission will consider approving a business plan with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to operate and maintain the Bay County Shooting Range by the Steelfield Landfill.
On Aug. 6, the commission approved a cooperative construction agreement with the FWC to construct a public shooting range.
While the first phase of the 119-acre range is still under construction, several components will be ready for public use Friday. The 100-yard rifle, 50/25-yard rifle and 50-foot pistol ranges are finished, as well as parking and stormwater management areas. A combination classroom, restroom and maintenance building remains under construction in Phase I and will be completed in the coming weeks.
The project has been anxiously awaited by the public, Bay County Commission Chairman Guy Tunnell said.
“This is a good, safe, user-friendly environment,” he said. “A lot of women are taking up firearms and need a safe environment” to learn how to shoot.
Tunnell said he would like to see an annual pass offered for the range so a person doesn’t have to pay $10 every time they want to shoot.
The second phase of the project includes 15-position sport clays court, and the final phase includes archery, trap and skeet fields. Bay County employees are building the project in-house using $200,000 in recreation impact fees. FWC will staff and operate the facility and is investing about $200,000 in equipment for the sport clays, trap and skeet fields.
The agreement up for consideration Tuesday states all revenue and income derived from the operation of the shooting range are to go to FWC, but must be invested by the agency back into the gun range.
“At any time, Bay County may request an audit of the shooting range’s finances,” the agreement states.
In other action Tuesday, the commission is slated to:
- Vote on an agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which is giving a $1 million grant to remove 220 failing septic tanks in the Southport community and hook the residences and businesses up to central sewer. Bay County Utility Services is working on a project to remove old, failing septic tanks in the Southport community to protect St. Andrew Bay and adjoining bodies of water.
- Vote on a contract for Dr. Michael Hunter to continue as medical examiner for the 14th Judicial Circuit. Bay County would provide $468,052 for the coming fiscal year. Calhoun, Holmes, Gulf, Jackson and Washington counties would be contributing $302,150 for the coming fiscal year.
- Approve a plan that would increase the deductible for county employees’ Florida Blue medical coverage from $500 to $750. The increase would allow the insurance rates to increase by 2 percent instead of a higher amount.
- Conduct a public hearing on a proposed 36-unit planned unit development on the north side of Back Beach Road (U.S. 98), west of Wildwood Road.
