Dear editor:

I’ve been reading about the proposed shooting complex, with Cody as a finalist. A lot of money has been spent getting this far in the process, and much more has been promised, most of it tax dollars. My question is this: When were Park County citizens asked whether we wanted this project or not? Tens of thousands of dollars and countless hours have just been spent updating our Land Use Plan. Many more tax dollars will be spent developing regulations to make it enforceable. The public was invited to participate and most citizens prioritized our “small town feel,” protecting open spaces and wildlife habitat, and accessible recreation lands. Already there is growing concern about the pace of growth we’ve witnessed in the last few years. The proposed shooting complex would gobble up a huge swath of gorgeous public land on the outskirts of Cody, making it inaccessible to the non-shooting public. This sure feels like a land grab by special interest groups and politicians, with so far zero public input. Bringing industrial scale recreation to Park County will accomplish the exact opposite of what the public said they value for our future. Do we get a say?

Linda Raynolds

Cody