In addition, the patent allowed the gun club to keep all the proceeds of the land's sale if it was sold to a government entity. However, the majority thought this was a reasonable offer, and it allows us to move more quickly. Leestma said selling the entire site to a governing agency would have taken too long, with the need to go through a governing agency's budgetary process. The ability to sell the land on the private market should allow for a faster sale, he said. There was a reluctance among a number of our members to do this, but in the end, I think the community gains something and we gain something.
Nobody comes out great, but nobody comes out bad.
While the formal presentation of the proposed settlement was made Thursday, both Leestma and Scott anticipate the BLM will look favorably on the deal as the federal agency was a key player in the negotiations where the original proposal developed. Leestma said the entire idea to split the land and donate part to the county and gain BLM approval to sell the other half originally was proposed in negotiations in mid-March by BLM officials. Steve Anderson, BLM assistant field manager, said the agency's attorneys will review the settlement's legal details. Anderson said the gun club has been a good operator of the site for more than 30 years. But increasing residential development makes it beneficial for everyone if the shooting range is able to move to a more remote area.