Subject:
Title
Firing Range and Training Building Agreement between Sheriff, Eastern Florida State College, and Brevard County
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Fiscal Impact:
None.
Dept/Office:
County Attorney’s Office / Public Works
Requested Action:
Recommendation
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office requests that the Board approve the attached Firing Range and Training Building Agreement; and it is also requested that the Board authorize the County Manager to execute any amendments and other contract-related documents associated with the Agreement.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office (“Sheriff”) requests that the Board of County Commissioners approve an agreement (the “Agreement”) between the County, the Sheriff, and Eastern Florida State College (“EFSC”) (collectively the “parties”) defining the roles and responsibilities of the parties regarding the northernmost firing range (the “Range”) and a training building (the “Training Building”) located at the Five Palms Farm, 2955 Pluckebaum Road, Cocoa (the “Farm”). The County owns the land, and leases it to the Sheriff pursuant to a lease that currently runs through October 15, 2025.
EFSC (formerly Brevard Community College) has used the Range and the Training Building at the Farm for its police training academy for more than twenty years. After decades of such use by EFSC, as well as use by the Sheriff and the Brevard County law enforcement community in general, the range is currently in a state of disrepair and in need of significant capital improvements. EFSC has temporarily closed the Range for operational use until the needed improvements are completed.
The Agreement provides that the Sheriff will fund and complete the required capital improvements to the Range and resume the operational use of the Range. The Sheriff will also fund capital improvements to the Training Building, an existing shoot house which provides a 360-degree ballistically safe firearms training environment (the “Shoot House”), and a proposed driving pad to be located at the Farm for training (the “Driving Pad”). The Sheriff will assume responsibility for operating and maintaining the site. (Note: The Sheriff currently operates the Shoot House pursuant to an agreement between the Sheriff, the County, and EFSC approved by the Board of County Commissioners on October 26, 2021).
EFSC is willing to transfer its rights and obligations regarding the Range and the Training Building to the Sheriff. Under the proposed Agreement, EFSC will be permitted use and access to the Range, Training Building, Shoot House, and Driving Pad (when completed) based upon request and availability with priority being given to police training academy courses and certification.
The Agreement does not impose any new or additional obligations or liabilities on the County. Under the Agreement, the County simply acknowledges the revised roles, rights, and responsibilities of the Sheriff and EFSC regarding the use, occupancy, improvement, and maintenance of the Range, Building, and site.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Return a copy of the executed Agreement to the County Attorney’s Office and Public Works.