ONTARIO — The Ontario Police Department has long relied on private property or other training facilities to host live fire practice for its officers.
Police Chief Tommy Hill updated council members Wednesday on the department’s progress in building a shooting range practice facility on municipal grounds.
Council members authorized the police department to clear trees and stumps from the area just north of the municipal building at the March 5 meeting. Hill said the police department currently leases a private property on Snodgrass Road for shooting practice.
Police officers and council members tested noise levels on March 14, with Hill saying only one officer parked in the Avita parking lot heard a shot echo.
“We asked people inside and they didn’t hear anything,” the police chief said. “The way we want to build it, we’ll have four mounds and I think that will keep the sound down.
“Obviously, we’re going to be good neighbors and make sure we’re not shooting during crazy hours, but I do feel like we could shoot at 2 in the morning and nobody would be any wiser because of the area we’re in.
“We also were stationed in the former GM lot, and that’s 300 yards away and nobody heard anything.”
The former General Motors site was proposed for a shooting range in 2019, but Hill said the department searched for new sites when the property sold to Industrial Commercial Properties.
“It’s something we’ve wanted for a long time,” Hill said. “There’s always been other needs, and when we had other properties we could use, we sort of put it on the back burner.”
Hill said a city-owned shooting range can improve insurance costs and help the department train officers more efficiently.
“The expediency of being able to take people right outside our building, get them training and quickly get back on the road is important,” he said.
“The private property also gets pretty muddy when it rains, and we would like to add turf to make it more mud-resistant.”
In addition to having an area to practice on city property, safety committee chair Nathan Sunderland said a city-owned shooting range can help with response times if officers need to respond to emergencies.
“Being at the city building and able to drop everything and go versus having to pack everything up on Snodgrass before leaving can save time in critical moments when those come up,” he said.
Also on Wednesday, Pioneer student Bradley Swain discussed mental health care access and treatment during public commentary.
“The urgency is clear,” he said. “We must focus on four key areas: expanding mental health services, tackling chronic diseases, improving health care access for rural residents and decreasing the cost.
“No one should go without the care they deserve under any circumstances. Let’s do it together. We’re stronger that way.”
Councilwoman Sherry Branham-Fonnner, the executive director of the Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, suggested Swain volunteer for local programs or share information with his peers.
“We constantly talk about the community not knowing and understanding the services that are available,” she said. “We have a list of service-providers on our website and also tell people you don’t have to live in Mansfield to receive treatment from those agencies.”
Swain said he wanted to address council members to ask about mental health treatment and to help spread awareness.
Also on Wednesday
Council approved the $21.3 million permanent appropriations budget for 2025.
Mayor Kris Knapp said the first order for veteran banners in the city has been made. As of Wednesday night, there are still about 10 open spots for “Veterans Way” displays. Knapp asked that any other submissions be in by the end of March.
The mayor announced Ontario earned a “Quality Award for Asphalt Paving” from Flexible Pavements of Ohio. Kokosing Construction, the general contractor for paving the Rosewood area in 2024, told Knapp the city was one of 32 award-winners for city streets and one of 88 Flexible Pavement awards total for the calendar year. The city last won the award in 2012.
Council read an ordinance updating public employee bonds for officials who handle cash and checks in the city.
Service-Safety Director Adam Gongwer said the city is moving the location of where it keeps bond files and needs to update the ordinance as a requirement for insurance. Eleven officials are listed in the ordinance. The legislation is due for a third reading and passage on April 16.
Director of Ontario Youth Sports and the city’s recreation department Kenn Spencer updated council members on multiple upcoming events. They include an April 19 Easter egg hunt in Marshall Park, April 25 senior citizen prom and April 26 fundraiser for the 4th of July Festival.
Free yoga in the park events will alternate Tuesdays with summer concerts at Marshall Park beginning in June.
Spencer also announced new programs including “Move Ontario,” a challenge to walk or run 44 miles during the month of April.
Anyone who registers and tracks their walking or running — either on a treadmill or outside — and meets the goal can earn a T-shirt.
He also said he is organizing a sports equipment exchange for Ontario families called “Gear Up Ontario” offering a Facebook group for families to trade gently used sports equipment. Follow the Ontario Youth Sports Facebook page for more information.
