"To: Mayor Dodic and Aldermen
Date: February 23rd, 2012
Re: LFGA Range Closure
It is with profound disappointment that I find myself writing this letter. I held off writing until you and City Council had a chance to respond to your staff's closure of the range after being presented with the Lethbridge Regional Police Service report. I was confident that you would see that the closure of the range was unnecessary and unwarranted and direct it to be opened. From the limited information that I have been able to gather, your decision to not reopen the LFGA Range, pending a public discussion on March 5th, is indefensible.
The process that the City of Lethbridge has undertaken relative to this matter is highly suspicious. The secrecy surrounding this issue is very problematic. You have a responsibility to the citizens and tax payers of Lethbridge, and all LFGA members to immediately release ALL information that the City has available that is associated with the closure of the range.
There are a number of questions that MUST be answered as soon as is possible (before March 5th) to avoid the City's reputation from falling into disrepute:
1) What (exactly) precipitated the closure of the LFGA range on Feb. 11th?
2) Who requested that LRPS prepare a report evaluating the occurrence of bullet "strikes" in Lethbridge? For what reason? Under whose direction was this City employee operating?
3) What does the LRPS report say? From what I understand it categorically states that no projectile (bullet) can be definitively tied to the operation of the LFGA range since 2005 - is this true? Why has the report not been made public? What is contained within the report that is not suitable for the residents who are paying for it?
4) IF no specific incident is involved and/or if a projectile has not been proven to have originated from the LFGA range, what possible reason could you have for not ordering your staff to allow the range to resume operations?
5) Has the City of Lethbridge closed the LFGA range because of the current residential development occurring just north of the range? Has the developer of the aforementioned land been in contact with City staff or individual City Council members?
6) Has there been a petition presented to the city by area residents complaining of noise? Asking for the range to be moved? Shut down? If not, then why the fishing trip (LRPS report)?
Frankly, the City of Lethbridge's impartiality is being called into question. The City MUST release the LRPS report to the public immediately. The above questions MUST be answered expeditiously. Failure to address the serious concerns of Lethbridge citizens will result in further distrust in local governmental process.
I am looking forward to hearing your timely response.
Sincerely,
Me"
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