The County Commission on Wednesday approved hiring Franklin and Associates to design a $4 million indoor police firing range on E. 11th Street despite a hangup over the type of roof it will have.
Commissioners Joe Graham and Fred Skillern voted against the resolution, based on the roof issue. Commissioner Graham said he wanted assurance that a metal roof would be used instead of a flat roof.
However, architect Matthew Twitchell said it was too early to say which type roof might be used because the drawing up of plans had not started.
However, he said similar-type firing ranges that have been studied have TPO (flat) roofs.
Commissioner Skillern said the county schools had to make many expensive repairs when flat roofs were installed.
Commissioner Graham said a metal roof could last as long as 60 years, but a flat roof might not make it to the 20-year mark.
The city police department and the sheriff department are partners in the venture.
It will replace the current outdoor firing range on Moccasin Bend.