By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The City of Hutchinson and Reno County appear to still have different visions for who will ultimately control the City-owned land on which a firearms range has been improved over the past several decades by the Reno County Sheriff's Office.
City Manager Jeff Cantrell sent out an agreement that would have the city 'retain control and management' of the facility, while County Administrator Randy Partington had provided an agreement that would lease the range to the county.
Both sides appear to want to allow both agencies to train there, the issue, as it has been since the beginning, is who has control of the facility. Both sides seem to agree that both administrative leaders will be consulted, along with the Chief and the Sheriff, on any improvements over $5000.
The City's potential agreement proposes a Law Enforcement Training Facility committee with an equal number of police and sheriff's office representatives. The county's agreement has no such provision.
Both agreements talk about sharing each other's schedules for training so that both groups can use the facility, but at least based upon emails provided to Hutch Post Monday afternoon and evening, there still needs to be some discussion among the parties.
In fact, in an email from Partington to Cantrell Monday night, Partington said, "I agree that if the elected officials of Reno County and the City of Hutchinson request a joint governing body meeting to discuss this issue or other issues of importance to them, we can coordinate such a meeting."
As of the posting of this story Tuesday morning July 13, that meeting has not yet been scheduled.