Word of a proposed police gun range behind the Public Works building has some Manteno residents riled up.
At the time of the March 3 village board meeting, the range was just in the talking stage, but residents had their say and, apparently, the board listened.
Trustee Joel Gesky wrote on the Manteno Choice Party Facebook page two days after the meeting that his opinion is the project should be tabled. Gesky, who is running for mayor, said he and fellow trustee CJ Boudreau met with one of the more outspoken critics at the meeting – Greg Olejarz.
The sticking point with some of the residents is the location of the range. It is in close proximity of Sunny Acres Mobile Home Park.
“As a licensed gun owner myself, I am all for a range for our officers for gun safety and training,” said Sunny Acres resident Linda Jansma. “Just not in that location.
“Let’s face it – our town is changing, and police will need extra training. But myself and other residents do not feel this location for a range is safe or fair to us. It is very close to residential homes and one of our largest parks in town where children and families come from all over to enjoy time outside.”
Olejarz wasn’t thrilled with having a range close to his house.
“It’s a terrible location for a firing range,” he said at the meeting. “The proposed range would be within throwing distance from my property, where my children relax and play.
“There is no logical explanation for the land behind the Public Works building being the best location for the range.”
Before he took to social media, Gesky tried explaining at the meeting the reasoning behind the range and its location.
He conducted an informational give-and-take with Police Chief Alan Swinford about the range being used three or four times a year, the firing of guns being away from houses, the distances between the firing and the houses, and a screening berm being built on the property.
Throughout the conversation residents interrupted, and that rankled outgoing mayor Tim Nugent.
“This is one of the reasons why it’s hard to have a conversation,” Nugent said. “Nobody will listen to an answer.
“We try to comment on something and maybe you don’t like the answer – I get it. But if you don’t listen, how do you even know what it is? That’s one of the reasons why we continually listen to what you are saying, and we respect when you talk, and we listen when you talk. But when we try to say anything at all, you get overrun and overpowered by people yelling and screaming in the back.”
Gesky wrote on the Facebook page the village will continue to explore cost-effective alternative locations.
“As a result, I have requested this topic be tabled until a more comprehensive evaluation can be completed.”