FORKS — The move to establish a new practice shooting range for law enforcement on the West End has slowed as officials consider the price tag of their targeted property.
The appraisal of a 10-acre gravel pit just outside the Forks city limit sets the price of the land at about four times more than the city wants to spend, Police Chief Mike Powell said Wednesday.
The property, still under negotiation, is owned by Rayonier Inc.
Powell said the pending negotiation prohibits him from disclosing the appraisal amount, but the city had hoped to pay $10,000 for the pit.
“If that doesn’t work, we’ll just be stuck where we are, I guess,” Powell said.
Smaller pit
Law enforcement officers on the West End have conducted firearms practice at a small, unsecured gravel pit outside of Forks for several years.
The site has frequently been vandalized, and its size limits the types of training the officers can conduct.