Construction of a firing range for local military and law enforcement personnel is still on course for an end-of-2014 completion.
The latest administrative step in the process was taken when Columbus councilmen approved a temporary easement to Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District. The easement includes an access road that leads up to the construction site. TRVWMD will install a culvert in the road beside the range to help with drainage at the site.
The county and city both own the Yorkville Road property where the range is being built, including the largely abandoned building that once housed Maxim Medical. County officials are currently getting the building appraised to see how much scrap the building and its contents amounts to and what it would be worth.
City and county officials have said the project is to benefit the Columbus Air Force Base, as well as Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police Department for training missions and certification. They’ve also voiced interest in allowing other area law agencies use it and opening it to the general public when available, but no further details have been mapped out.
The Golden Triangle Development LINK applied for a grant through the Mississippi Development Authority’s Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority Military Base Enhancement Program grant. Initially, the grant provided $1,053,000 for construction and left the county and city to cover the rest of the project costs. Inflation and changes in project scope, including extending the length of the range from 25 to 100 meters and the berm from 12 to 20 feet, drove the total cost up $300,000 to nearly $1.7 million.
The increase meant the city and county would have to each pay $322,709 instead of $156,000. A day after supervisors accepted Edge Construction’s bid, city councilmen approved paying $203,000 it had already budgeted for the project, but no more than that. This left a $119,709 balance.
The MDA agreed to contribute an extra $110,165 if the county would pay remaining costs. Edge Construction’s $465,318 bid to build the range was awarded, and the Tremont-based contractor is currently building the range itself as well as a facility beside it.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
