Benton Gun Club and the Quarum Court

[Travelor]

This concerns the County Quarum Court, in a meeting without prior notice to our Club, making an ordinance that may cause the Clubs 35 acre range to be closed.  Although it may not affect you, I believe you need to be aware of what could come out of the blue at your Club from the anti's...........

Please go to the Benton Gun Club website, www.bentongunclub.org/. and read the link to the Saline County Quarum Court Ordinance that affects shooting ranges in Saline County effective IMMEDIATELY. WE ARE IN SALINE COUNTY, ARKANSAS.

Also, note the next Saline County Quorum Court meeting @ the Saline County Court House on August 15th @ 6:00 p.m. I plan on attending and believe we really need a large turnout. Here is a link the the location of the courthouse: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&formtype=address&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&cat=&address=215+N+Main+St&city=Benton&state=AR&zipcode=

I will let those of us much more savy in the Law, to interpret this. But I believe the section on rules, etc. effects us and may be a real problem.

TRemember, that even though you may not shoot

George Toney

[captkev]

 I can't seem to get the link to open...    Could you just copy and paste the info here for all to read?

[GTS]

I am making this report on behalf of Chicken George, who has made contact with the powers that be, with regard to the above referenced ordinance. Chicken has made the appropriate inquiries to the appropriate persons and has found out the following according to the office of the County Judge and the JP that sponsored/wrote the ordinance:

1. The ordinance is intended to regulate the construction of new ranges. (An individual was planning on opening a gun range adjacent to a state highway, and apparently was too close to the residence of an attorney)
2. The ordinance in no way affects the Benton Gun Club.
3. The ordinance was written so that the Saline County Planning Board will have the authority to review and approve, or deny, applications to construct new gun ranges. This is a good thing.

Both the JP and the office of the County Judge had the same response, this ordinance is for new ranges, it doesn't impact the Benton Gun Club in the least.

What we don't need is to have a knee jerk reaction to something that very few of us have any solid information about. We don't need to flood the office of the County Judge or the JP, who by the way Chicken said was very friendly and helpful, with calls or letters or emails. Just calm down and take a breath. When and if something needs to be done, we'll take care of it. In the meantime, just relax and do some shooting.

Greg Sullivan

[Travelor]

Here is the Ordinance.  Could not copy and paste so I am trying this way.

Secondly. I jsut do not trust politicians.  You rememeber the old addage concerning lawyers and their lips moving.

Even if I did, with this ordinance in place and the politicians change it is a sword hanging over our Club's head.  If the true intent was to limite NEW ranges the verbage should be changed for "all firing ranges" to "any new firing range".

George TOney

[redmist25]

Wow!  Talk about a time bomb. Show me a lawyer or anti that can't take the words " a dirt berm capable of stopping all projectiles fired on the range" and use it to shut down your range by the simple statement " If you pointed the gun up in the air at 45 degrees and fired would your berm stop the bullet".  If you don't think so consider a problem we had a few years ago where our firearms inspector required us to build a baffle/wall starting four feet above the ground and rising to ten feet so that no-one could shoot standing and shoot over our berms. We were suppposed to be limited to shooting only from the bench. In the end we ended up constucting 18 foot high berms all around our range and managed to get rid of the baffle.

[DWTim]

Here is the text of the article for those of you who don't have Acrobat Reader:

Exhibit “H” 

ORDINANCE NO. 2006-40 

 BE IT ENACTED BY THE QUORUM COURT OF SALINE COUNTY, STATE 
OF ARKANSAS, AN ORDINANCE TO BE ENTITLED “AN ORDINANCE 
REGULATING THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF FIRING 
RANGES IN SALINE COUNTY, ARKANSAS.” 

SECTION 1. Whereas, it is the responsibility of the Saline County Quorum Court to 
provide for the health, welfare and safety of the residents of Saline County, Arkansas; 
and 

SECTION 2. Whereas, firing ranges in and of themselves can constitute a danger to 
the public; and 

SECTION 3. Whereas, it is in the best interests of the citizens of Saline County, 
Arkansas that the construction and maintenance of firing ranges be governed by 
ordinance of the Saline County Quorum Court. 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED that all firing ranges be 
subject to the following conditions: 

A. No firing range, whether for modern guns and ammunition or 
black powder firearms, shall be constructed within one mile of any residence or business 
located in Saline County, Arkansas. 
B. All firing ranges shall be constructed in such a manner that a dirt 
berm shall be erected behind all targets on the range of sufficient height to stop all 
projectiles fired on the range. 
C. All firing ranges shall be constructed and operated in such a 
manner that they shall comply with all state, local and federal regulations concerning 
firing ranges. 
D. That all plans for firing ranges shall be presented to the Saline 
County Planning Board for its approval. The Saline County Planning Board shall, 

subject to final approval of the Saline County Quorum Court, adopt rules and regulations 

for the operation of all firing ranges within the unincorporated areas of Saline County, 

including but not limited to, hours of operation, caliber of firearms that may be 

discharged on the range and safety regulations. 

1


SECTION 4. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions 
of this ordinance are hereby repealed. 

SECTION 5. The provisions of this Ordinance shall be liberally construed to 

accomplish the objectives and purposes hereof. If any provision of this Ordinance is held 

invalid by a court of law or subsequent legislative action, such holding shall in no way 

affect the validity of the remaining provisions or sections of this Ordinance, which shall 

remain in full force and effect. 

SECTION 6. Emergency. It is hereby ascertained and declared that this Ordinance 
must be adopted as soon as possible to regulate possible construction and operation of 
firing ranges before one or more such firing range is constructed and operated in such a 
manner that it exposes the citizens of Saline County to danger of injury or death by 
firearms discharged on such possible firing ranges. It is, therefore, declared that an 
emergency exists and this Ordinance, being necessary for the immediate preservation of 
the public peace, health, and safety, as well as, the good order and stability of Saline 
County government, shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage. 

Adopted this 18th day of July, 2006. 

_____________________ 

DATE: JULY 18, 2006 APPROVED____________________________ 
LANNY FITE 
SALINE COUNTY JUDGE 
ATTEST:

FREDDY BURTON 
COUNTY CLERK 
SPONSOR: _____________________ 
SHARON RIGGAN 

J. P. DISTRICT #6 
2

Personally, I think Section 1 sounds like the charter of a court in Venezuela. Section 2 is just dead wrong. 3-A would be impossible in Connecticut, for example, but it's one way to 'submarine' anti-gun legistlation. (Overlapping boundries insure that no range could legally be constructed!) 3-B sounds like common sense. 3-C is wide open, giving them lots of venues by which to ban legal discharge of firearms for recreational or training purposes. 3-D is another broad stroke, just incase 3-C wasn't fascist enough, bascially giving the court the power to close down all ranges without oversight or representation of the people. I'm sorry, do you vote for your judges in Saline County?

I got to Section 5, but refuse to believe that someone in the USA would even attempt to pen something this awful. I can't even comment on the left few parts, because I'm just stunned.

Am I missing something here, or is there some major, socialized city in Saline County?

Regardless, I hope the club gives a good fight, and wins.

[Jerry G]

Do you guys still have your range??  The proposed law applys to all gun clubs, not just new ones.  The minute someone builds within a mile of you, your range is history.  Fight this one to the end.

[GeoNLR]

I'll try and let this reply stand to kill this thread, if not.....

We are protected under (2) range protection acts. Both "Grandfather" us in and protect us from items such as these. Even the text of THIS ordinance reconizes that athority over their court.

This Ord DOES NOT affect ANY existing gun range in Arkansas, this fact has been confirmed by the aboved mentioned court, and the text of multiple protection acts via Lawyers and higher thinking types...LOL

Yes our range is still open, we are the #1 NRA recruting range in the nation, come visit us sometime if you're in the area...

Chicken