Taking Aim Red River Regional Marksmanship Center plans expansion project

By Thomas Evanella | The Focus

WEST FARGO — The Red River Regional Marksmanship Center has broken ground on an expanded gun training area that will double square-footage.

Lisa Dirk, project manager for the expansion and one of the center’s founders, said the new training area will be the fulfillment of the facility’s original vision. “We had always intended to add this additional space when the original group of people put a plan together,” Dirk told The Forum. “It’s just reached a point now where we’re in a position to do that.”

The Red River Regional Marksmanship Center got its start in 2009 with a pistol range. An accompanying rifle range opened in 2014. The marksmanship range is a volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The 18,000 square-foot expansion will include a 75-foot, 16 lane powder range for pistol and rifle use, a 20-point airgun range, and a pair of new classrooms.

The expanded facility will allow the Red River Regional Marksmanship Center to augment its existing offerings. Dirk said that having more space will allow the marksmanship center to offer more classes, more time slots and accommodate more people. “Our mission has always been to train and educate responsible and safe firearms users,” she said. “We are currently at a spot where we cannot accommodate all of the classes that people want or to be able to grow the amount of training that we can do.”

Among the center’s current programming is a youth program through the West Fargo Park District. The program trains children on BB guns up to standard firearms.

Classes for adults include training on home defense, situational awareness and concealed carry permitting. Also offered is a hunting training program through the state of North Dakota. Anyone born after 1961, with some exceptions, must complete a hunter safety training program in order to apply for licenses.

With more and more groups, such as the North Dakota State University Marksmanship Club, using the center, Dirk said it was necessary to bolster the facility’s footprint. “We just want to be able to continue with the training and education of people, continue to give them a place where they can come practice their shooting skills safely,” she commented. “We just want to be there for everybody that wants to use their firearms properly.”

Fundraising for the facility is ongoing. Thus far, the Red River Regional Marksmanship Center has raised $2.8 million, Dirk said, with the aim of raising another $1 million.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was scheduled to take place Friday afternoon, May 26. Construction equipment is expected to arrive on site in early June, Dirk said. The goal is to have both classrooms and the airgun portion up and running by the first quarter of 2024. The powder range is expected to take longer to complete but also open in 2024. and 2023, said the bond referendum is needed badly due to the fast growth of the district. It wouldn’t surprise him if the district eventually has to consider a fourth high school and feeder system, he added.

Dirk envisions the expansion will make the Red River Regional Marksmanship Center the top firearm training facility in the area, a continuation of the original mission she and the other founders laid out. “There isn’t anyone else in this general area regionally that has a training center or facility like we’ll have. We’ll be the premier training center in probably the tri-state area,” she said.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Thomas Evanella at 701-241-5518 or follow him on Twitter @ThomasEvanella.

Bachmeier estimates that a successful $133.4 million bond impact would increase the mill levy by a range of 2 to 14 mills, depending on which projects the district decides to complete in any given year.

As a result, the highest increase to taxes to a home valued at about $100,000 would be $72. That number is not likely to be reached, however, Bachmeier said. The district is trying to keep the impact on taxpayers as small as possible, even after it is approved, he said.

Bachmeier said the impact could also be considerably less after the North Dakota Legislature passed a $500 property tax credit over the next biennium.

“Homes would need to have valuations exceeding $800,000 to pay more than their credit would be valued at under this proposal,” he said. “There was also a significant expansion of the homestead tax credit, providing significant relief to income-restricted residents over the age of 65.”

Bachmeier said the impact will be similar to the bond passed in 2018, which has been offset over the years by the growth and increasing valuations in the district.

“Yes, this is the biggest (bond) number in history, but the tax base is the biggest it’s ever been,” Bachmeier said. “The goal is to keep this as no more burdensome than it was in 2018.”

Even with the highest projected bond and mill levy, the West Fargo School District taxes still remain lower than the Fargo School District. Despite the large bond referendums in recent years, the district has been able to hold its mill levy steady, or decrease it such as in 2022 when mills fell by 7.06 due to retired and restructured debt.

In recent years, voters have overwhelmingly approved referendums supporting additional space. In 2018, 71% of voters approved passing the $106.9 million referendum, which will be used to build a third high school and middle school as well as additions to elementary schools, security upgrades and three artificial turf fields.

The large bond was passed just three years after 80% of voters approved a $98.1 million bond in September 2015, which was used to build two elementary schools as well as the $18.5 million Hulbert Aquatic Center and a $16.5 million West Fargo Sports Arena.

A supermajority of 60% of voters is needed to approve the bond referendum.

West Fargo Public Schools surpassed Fargo in 2020 to become the state’s second largest school district, just behind Bismarck Public Schools with more than 12,700 students and three high schools that will be fed by 15 elementary schools in the fall of 2024 when Meadowlark Elementary School opens.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Wendy Reuer at wreuer@forumcomm. com or 701-241-5530.