Survey Results

Survey Results

We sent out a survey to get feedback from the members and here is the breakdown of the survey.

0

Members Responded

Percentages below were rounded up to the nearest whole number. Responses where a member could provide their own text were consolidated when possible and other, more specific, instances were included. 

The intent is to show full transparency behind some of the conflicting feedback the board receives at times.

This survey will help consolidate multiple viewpoints and provide a majority consensus to how the club operates going forward.

Less than 1 Year
0%
2-3
0%
3-4
0%
4+
0%

QUESTION 1:

How long have you been a member of NRGSC?

We have a lot of members who have been around for a lot of the changes. After the incident with the caretaker last year, our legal and insurance providers have pushed for changes that protect the club. 

For years many of policies and activities were done with a handshake. These arrangements open the club up to lawsuits that could potentially spell the end of NRGSC.

Many of the updated policies, changes to procedures, and increased scrutiny in activities are a direct result of mitigating risk and liability against any future club ending lawsuit(s).

QUESTION 2:

What ranges do you use when you come to NRGSC?

The vast majority of the respondents were Rifle and Pistol shooters. The least utilized range is the Archery Range. This may change as we now have a range manager in the near future.

Rifle & Pistol
0%
Pistol
0%
Rifle
0%
Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun
0%
Rifle & Shotgun
0%
Rifle, Pistol, Archery
0%
Shotgun
0%
< 3% Responses
0%
Only before hunting season.
0%
< 5 times a year
0%
6-15 times a year
0%
Monthly
0%
Weekly
0%

QUESTION 3:

How often are you at NRGSC?

The vast majority of members are at the club very sporadically. This shows us that if we were to have competitions or other events at the club it wouldn’t disrupt the members that much. 

QUESTION 4:

Whats one thing you like about NRGSC?

Overall the members seem to like the facility and the improvements being made. The main take away was that the club is viewed in a mostly positive manner with support from members.

  • Great folks at the shotgun range, knowledgeable and friendly.
  • I like a lot about the range. The constant upgrades and improvements, the freedom, the cleanliness, etc.
  • It has become what appears to be a very professionally run organization and the range improvements are excellent.
  • It's great potential. Low annual fee. I'd be ok paying more.
  • Easier to get to than Los Alamos. Very nice square range! It's still a 45 minute drive from home.
  • Well organized range, strong safety protocols, solid covered shooting benches, good target stands at appropriate ranges, clean, flexible hours, member supervised
  • Low pressure, good people, well kept ranges, rules. Ability to rapid fire practice pistol (drawing from holster, etc.) when alone on the pistol range. No range master. I also really like the added shed on the rifle range with pre-built target boards. I use my own targets but appreciated that targets are also supplied on the honor system.
  • Safer alternative to shooting on BLM land. The board and volunteers have done a nice job at keeping the place clean and user friendly as well.
  • I wish there was a place that I could do tactical style shooting with my rifle.
  • That I cannot bring a guest to just accompany me without shooting without the guest passing a safety test and jumping through other bureaucratic hoops. I am an old woman and would like to bring a friend who would not shoot just in case something should happen to me, but under the current rules, I can't.
  • The disrespectful people that feel they have to destroy other peoples hard work.
  • There is no way to test out/ practice with buckshot
  • No steel target or even a way to hang plates
  • Occasional serious damage to targets.
  • Taking guests has become complicated......
  • Limiting membership to family members. A non-family guest should be allowed when accompanied by a member
  • Cannot renew membership IDPA not longer run at the range. NRGSC seems to only be geared towards a small group of trap shooters and the police.
  • Newest membership renewal process seems onerous. Earlier process of download form, fill out, add check mail in. Much simpler. The annual duplication of safety briefing and test seems a bit much.
  • the shooting benches were not made to shoot from when ever I shoot from the bench I have to shoot from the side and lean over the bench.
  • The failure to sponsor a monthly IDPA match, as was sponsored for about a decade. Also, I find the change of name repulsive. Anyone with access to a dictionary of slang knows that a "sporting club" is a whorehouse. Very, very inappropriate.
  • Nothing about the range itself but it is jarring when someone shows up at the rifle range with a magnum rifle with a muzzle brake; especially if they set up on the bench next to me.
  • The change in guest policy - I understand the need for the safety briefing, but not everyone has easy access to the web to take the training. A handout that could be read and explained by the member/escort to guests, then signed and submitted in a box on the range seems like it would be sufficient.
  • No replies ever via email!!
  • I don’t like not being able to bring a friend or relative to NRGSC under my membership. You could do this when I first joined. I’m a member at 2 other ranges and we are allowed to bring guests. The member is accountable for the guests’ conduct and safety. If allowed at NRGSC, it would be a good way to recruit new members..
  • not having target holders. I don't like having to cart one back and forth Would like to see a 1000yd range
  • Typical of government organizations the many are being punished because of the actions of a few. Such as wearing badges. It is easier to create more restrictions that will affect those that abide by the rules than it is find and punish the few that break those rules. Given the current administration the "more government" approach is not surprising. The administration needs to run the club as if it were a retail business, not like a federal government entity.
  • A restroom on the rifle or pistol range would be nice.
  • your policy on firearms teaching
  • Slow response time regarding membership/gate code issues
  • Changes to the rifle range have gone way overboard in the name of ricochet protection. I've used that range for over 15 years and never had a problem. Just because you hear a ricochet does mean the bullet is coming back toward the firing area or any other unsafe place.
  • Pistol and rifle lanes should be isolated from each other. Pistol pits should have 20 foot and 50 foot lanes with sun protection, benches, target holders designed for slide in cardboard. Upper range solely rifle with a vehicle lane to service distant target holders. 100 yard..200 yard range length determined by board members. Had a 500 yard to 1000 yard range in FL. Only 6-10 out of 200 members utilized very long ranges.
  • High fees charged for CCW instructors. Pistol bays often full on weekends. The email and online membership renewal process has been REALLY frustrating. Website needs work.
  • Lately, when I have an issue no one has responded to my emails. It appears the president is the only one that receives our emails and they have not responded to several of my emails. The renewal process is less than efficient now. I don't understand why i received all your updates but when it came time to renew I had to allow some kind of setting on my computer to make sure i was receiving the club renewal verification. Still haven't figured that out and I paid on line as well as sent in a check.No one bothered to call out the double payment.

QUESTION 5:

Whats one thing you dislike about NRGSC?
 

There is a lot to cover here in response. So we’ve tried to group responses into bullet points. What follows is in no particular order of priority, just responses as they are listed:

  • Tactical Shooting:  This is something we’re looking at options for the upcoming rifle range improvements.
  • Guests:  Members are allowed 2 guests, for free, if they complete the online safety training. The fees for guests are only for club events where non-members are attending. Example 4H. Handouts do not fit the compliant solution prescribed by our legal and insurance providers. Their is protective language that all users of the club must accept. Digitally time and date stamping is the only way to show documentation in the event of an incident.
  • Destruction of Equipment: Much of the equipment provided by NRGSC needs to be replaced often for this reason. The group of volunteers who fix these items share the frustration. As a result, the club is forced to look at ways that “out fox” those who willingly destroy equipment.
  • Buckshot: You can shoot buckshot on the rifle range using the closer targets. However, please be careful to not destroy a target in the process.
  • IDPA: The board was presented an IDPA proposal that was several thousand dollars to implement. It also required multiple people to setup and run. Currently there are roughly 15-20 members who volunteer to stage and manage events. We would love to offer IDPA events, but lack the resources and the bodies to host such events.
  • Renewals: Prior to the update of the website our membership secretary had to “hunt down” 4/10 people to get additional information. People sent in photos of gate cards, pieces of paper not relevant to the renewal process, and more. Additionally, we have members who completed the safety training 15+ years ago. The current process is the best solution we could find to meet the requirements of our legal and insurance obligations and ensure the safety of all. The current system, while it has its issues, has cut the number of “one off” cases down to a handful a year.
  • Name Change: See Wikipedia definition of “Sporting Club” here. The reference to a house of ill repute must be a regional context specific to one member.
  • Muzzle Brakes: We would ask guests who shoot larger calibers to be respectful of others at the range. 
  • Email & Responses: Every board member at the club has an email contact option. Those responses are time and date stamped and cataloged for future reference. Every email received is typically responded to within 48 hours. Those replies are also time/date stamped but if the member doesn’t see the reply, then it is deemed “unanswered”. Members who have “escalated” to the president email have been emailed multiple times with no response or are undeliverable. Many times the replies are in a SPAM folder. It has recently come to our attention that our email hosting provider is on a blacklist for SPAM. Our webmaster is currently looking at a new host to help mitigate these issues. We have also had multiple members who claim to have had no contact, when in fact they have a documented thread of emails. These claims are often an attempt to circumvent issues created by the same member. Example:  Gate card doesn’t work. They have not renewed for the current membership cycle. It is reported as the membership secretary not activating their card.
  • 1000 Yard Range: Currently there are several members who are shooting at rocks, hanging targets on property boundaries, and other activities that are fundamentally unsafe. 1000 Yards is a dream for many of the members but the safety concerns with the neighborhood, the rifle calibers needed to hit 1000, and the high probability of people not having the training/skills to hit a target at that distance make it tough to justify at NRGSC.
  • Government?: NRGSC is a 501c7 Non-profit organization, not a government entity. There has been a reported increase of people “tailgating” through the front gates. The concern is that we have non-members who are destroying targets and putting other members at risk. The mandate to wear badges has always been on the books at NRGSC. The recent request to wear ID badges is an attempt to reduce non-members who are abusing the club facilities.
  • Restroom: There are multiple toilets on the property. This past summer we ran water lines to them to better service these facilities. They are marked with signage as well.
  • Firearms Instruction: Following the incident with the caretaker last year, all NRGSC policies and agreements were reviewed by both our attorney and our insurance provider. Having “for profit” instruction violates our non-profit status. Furthermore, instructors ranged from fully certified instructors with insurance running full CCW classes to people who “got approved in 1984” and want to teach. So, to satisfy the legal/insurance requirement and to ensure all instructors were fully compliant requirements were set fourth. This includes having insurance, recognized certificate to teach, business license, and a fee that satisfied the non-profit element as a separate kind of membership.
Very Important
0%
Somewhat Important
0%
Neutral
0%
Not Very Important
0%
Not Important at all
0%

QUESTION 6:

How important is the social aspect of NRGSC to you?
 
 

With close to 70% of the members polled indicating the social aspect of the club isn’t a priority the NRGSC board will reduce the number of events of a social nature.

QUESTION 7:

How often should you hear from NRGSC?

We are working on a newsletter that will contain a lot of information and thus reduce the amount of emails members receive. 

Monthly
0%
Every Other Month
0%
Quarterly
0%
Bi-Annually
0%
When events or issues come up
0%
Never
0%
  • Tactical shooting area that includes rifles.
  • Shorter range steel target on rifle range.
  • I know of a member that had issues with unsafe members that then became belligerent and then was allowed to continue renewing their membership. Safety is always first. A belligerent response is uncalled for. That member should have lost his privileges.
  • I want to start my own action shooting matches, by invitation only. I’ve completed the match rules and scoring sheets. It borrows from all the various action matches . Who do I need to speak to?
  • An electronic range safe system to be activated when personnel are down range.
  • Club house that's more useful.
  • More accurate targets in increments of 100 yds on the rifle range.
  • air conditioning
  • Improved archery range
  • Sporting clays course
  • Create a simpler, easier annual renewal process. Why have existing, long term members go through the same onerous application/ renewal process as new members? The new process certainly discourages visitors/ guests.
  • Rifle range extension, since we can’t change the trap and skeet field orientation.
  • Paint the shotgun building white or light tan to reflect the summer sun and heat. Wouldn’t be very expensive.
  • Gate entry confirmation or override for gate cards
  • Not a big deal, but add gravel to the entrance road to reduce the washboarding. Minor request.
  • Add heat to the clubhouse. Then we could have demos like reloading.
  • get computer visual aide devices at the benches so that shooters dont have go down range to check there targets to make adjustments to there scopes
  • Easier integration of web page as regards recording safety course completion.
  • Ability to get in person training/qualification etc. to allow for experienced members to shoot ARs in the pistol bays. Even if it’s only with suppressors to limit sound exposure to adjacent pistol bays.
  • change the guest policy.
  • Convert gate card reader to store member numbers and time of day to know who was there if vandalism occurs.
  • redo the pistol pits, making 4 mostly equal width pistol bays, current depth is good. this would allow for betting running of matches. i'd also buy another Conex container, and situate one between bays 1 and 2 (new bays), and one between bays 3 and 4, to make match set up easier. i'd create a "safe area between bays 2 and 3. i'd like to see IDPA matches return, and for the club to support their return, including spending some club money to make this happen.
  • Better contact information or a website to communicate on.
  • Maybe some webcams to check weather conditions, or the number of people out there
  • Ensure the on-line membership renewal process works.

QUESTION 8:

If you could get ONE project done at NRGSC in 2024, what would it be?
 

There is a lot to cover here in response. So we’ve tried to group responses into bullet points. What follows is in no particular order of priority, just responses as they are listed:

  • Tactical Shooting: This is being considered as part of the Rifle Range improvements, assuming the budget permits this feature.
  • Unsafe Members: If this occurs please contact the NRGSC Board and we will review the incident and take appropriate action.
  • Shooting Matches: Bring the proposal to the board and we can review it. As the response was anonymous we couldn’t follow up. email president@nrgsc.org.
  • Down Range System: This is also on the list of improvements for the rifle range.
  • Club House: The classroom/clubhouse is part of the 2024 improvements. That includes finishing the build out, adding heat, and finding activities that need the space. Currently that building is only used during board meetings.
  • Rifle Range: The rifle range is (currently) in meters and yards. The project for 2024 will be to convert it to a single measurement, align targets to those measurements, increase the steel target options (safely), and provide a range of uses for all shooting types.
  • Air Conditioning: In the event this isn’t a joke, its highly unlikely we’ll be able to add AC to the range or the buildings.
  • Archery Range: We have a newly appointed Archery Range manager as well as 3D targets that are currently in storage. Without someone to run and maintain the range these items had to go into storage so they weren’t destroyed or rotted in the sun.
  • Sporting Clays: One of our board members looked into this. At a cost of $85,000 to install its outside the budgetary constraints of NRGSC for the foreseeable future.
  • Renewal Process: The previous system caused more problems with processing than it solved. Multiple long term members sent in a check with “look it up @sshole!” or “You figure it out!”. (actual contacts) The current system ensures everyone has the latest safety training brief. Over 90% of the members were able to complete the process without any issues. Of the 10% left less than 2% were unable or unwilling to complete the process. (Less than 8 people) The remaining members, who requested various kinds of help, were able to get in and complete the process.
  • Rifle Range Extension: Many of the board members agree. However, we have seen multiple cases of unsafe targets (painted rocks) at distances beyond the established targets. We also field contacts from the neighbors who walk their dogs BEHIND the club property on BLM land. (We advise against this but they still do it) The topography of the club is also working against a safe access path to targets beyond what is there now. We are looking at options to increase the range, but have to contend with an expanding neighborhood, property lines, and a handful of unsafe shooters.
  • Gate Cards: When you use your card in the gate system it logs the user, date, and time. This includes any failed attempts. The damage/vandalism needs to be reported so we can go back and review camera and gate card information to find the responsible parties. Using a gate code or other override does not allow us to track who is at the club on a given day if there is an incident. Too many people would simply give their buddy the code. A card is the only way we can (somewhat) control access.
  • Shotgun Building: Agreed this is a great idea to deal with heat. We just need people who will show up to complete the work. Currently we have 10-20 people who regularly help with these kinds of projects.
  • Entrance Road: The road was regraded this summer and additional improvements were made to help prevent washboarding.
  • Visual Aide Devices: If you have a budget friendly option to accomplish this we would love to review it. The rifle range now has power so this kind of solution is finally on the table, if the funds are available.
  • Safety Course: Currently successfully passing the membership safety test is the only way to complete the checkout process of the application. Guest passes are issued a PDF version upon completion.
  • Pistol Pits: Without a caretaker or on site range manager there is no way to “police” who is and who isn’t an experienced shooter for rifle caliber use in the bays. There are multiple proposals being considered for updating the pistol pits in 2024 but the budget is a limiting factor.
  • IDPA: The proposal that was given to the club was for several thousands of dollars which would restrict other, more important, projects like road improvements or targets. We would love to host IDPA matches but the club lacks the funds to approve the IDPA proposal as presented and lacks the manpower to run and maintain the associated targets, barriers, and more.
  • Communication: Every board member has a contact form on the site. There is a “contact us” button on every page, often in multiple areas. Anyone at NRGSC with an email address responds within 48 hours. We are unable to diagnose members issues who aren’t receiving communications when emails are undeliverable or lack additional contact information.
  • Online Membership Renewal: As stated above, the number of people who were unable or unwilling to complete the current process is less than 2% of the membership base. This constitutes 8 people or less. The system isn’t perfect, but it eliminated 3 redundant systems previously used, streamlines safety training required by our attorney and insurance providers, and simplified the processing time for our volunteers.

QUESTION 9:

How many days advance notice would you need to help out with a club project?

Currently there is a core group of 10-20 people who regularly volunteer for projects. This includes building targets stands, emptying trash, cleaning up brass, watering the vault toilets, and major improvements like running water and power. 

This group is less than 5% of the total membership at NRGSC. These members often bring their own equipment and tools to complete the repairs/improvements/maintenance at the club.

Many of these members are 55+. At a recent clean up day we had a medical emergency and thankfully that member was ok after getting care.

Unless we can get better participation with these events, there are many projects that will fall by the wayside from lack of bodies to complete them.

48 hours
0%
A Week
0%
2 Weeks
0%
A Month
0%
2 Months
0%
None. I have no interest in helping with projects or am unable.
0%
  • I think the last email about canceling the group day was rather whiny.
  • I have not been at the range in over a year and maybe more like a couple of years. I usually bring my own target and card table, but was super pleased to see that the club is providing targets and tables. I'll probably go more often because of this. Thank you.
  • Publish a use list of businesses, agencies, organisations and number of members to reflect community impact of the facility. Insure support of the facility as a community resource.
  • Keep up the good work. Implement member orientations with emphasis on rules, safety and club expectations
  • The board takes their responsibility seriously. It's apparent they are fully engaged.
  • It would have been nice to renew my membership that lapsed this summer. I liked the longer rifle range than LASC offers. Unfortunately, your website will not accept payment and the secretary would not respond to email. I will not attempt renewal at this point in time, since it is evident that the board is not interested in providing even the most basic support to members. This experience has been shared by multiple co-workers of mine who had paid their membership dues but never received their keycards. I'm sad to say that this otherwise good facility is hampered by gross mismanagement.
  • See comments above on current application and renewal process. I go to a number ranges in Texas and none require duplication of safety briefing after the first visit and annual renewal by cash, check, credit card is easy.
  • If you’re going to have a membership “appreciation” day, don’t charge the membership $10 a head for hamburgers. Members especially those with family in attendance find it difficult to pay. The board should find the money in the budget for hamburgers. Common.
  • I don't understand why the board rejected the proposal put forth by Jim Rickman some months ago to hold a monthly IDPA match. All of the walls, target stands, etc. are now sitting in a container at the pistol pits and it would take a very small investment to get it up and running again. Given the fact that the Club would collect a fee from each shooter, IDPA is more or less self-sufficient.
  • You guys do a good job keeping me informed when/as needed. I know you sometimes try to plan more events, which is great. But I personally don’t care. I like the nice quiet range atmosphere. Nothing fancy or over the top. The price is still great for what is offered
  • I've had bad experiences with people shooting at the rocks high in the pistol bays, seemingly just to hear the richochet. It honestly felt like the richochets were passing overhead in my direction while I was at the rifle range. With regards to the board - all of you are doing a fine job! The range has improved greatly under the leadership of the last five years!
  • I like all aspects of the communication the Board has taken to improve NRGSC. I especially liked the updates given as construction was planned, implemented, and recapped to us all.
  • Would be nice if members could offer items for sale to the group: brass, reloading equipment, paper targets, guns, gear.
  • They are doing a wonderful job thank you and please don’t increase the rates.
  • As noted above. Clearer communication between the secretary and members about there payments and renewals. No one wants to loose their membership because of automation improvements. The website and calendar has come a long way since I joined. Congrats. Appreciate a lot of the improvements on the ranges as well. Thank you for what you are all doing. Still love my ghost ranch range where I can go there and shoot and there is no one there.
  • CONSIDER NOT CHARGING CURRENT MEMBERS VISITORS (2) A FEE WHEN AT THE RANGE
  • This range and organization are by far the best I’ve been involved in in a lifetime of shooting, the impetus to keep improving is impressive. The current work completed has been well executed and will last for many years to come. Thanks!
  • Really appreciate all of the new improvements, roads, cleaning up the rifle range, new berms and steel targets. Also appreciate all of the emails with upcoming events and keeping us up to date. ONE complaint, scheduling activities during hunting season September-November! I know the weather is great, but I'm either hunting or spending my weekend prepping or doing chores to be able to go and can't participate. Other than that, great improvements over when I first joined a few years ago. Thank You!
  • don't like the current renewal process, have to show dates of safety training, etc, seems like lawyer "CYA" stuff, cumbersome
  • Do not be hesitant to charge more for facility improvement. Visit other ranges to get ideas on improvement. Contact NRA for "on shelf" range plans and ideas. A good range attracts more members which generates more funds.
  • i didn't appreciate the dismissive manner in which i was treated for voicing my opinion on the "membership appreciation day". did not reflect well on the leadership of the club. club should consider somewhat copying LASC in how they reward members for their volunteer time.
  • Thank you so much for the improvements on the rifle and pistol ranges. Consider adding a "Buy, sell, swap" bulletin board to the website or a bulletin board at the range. Consider an "Events calendar" for the website. Have a great Holiday season and New Year 2024!
  • I have been a firearms instructor at the club, I can no longer afford to do this with the current membership fees. I have had to teach members on blm land and keep their ccw certifications current at a place other than the range. I think that the board should have all of us certified instructors submit our resumes to the board and you should interview us and pick a couple to be authorized to teach on the range.
  • The current administration knows how government is operated so that is how they run the club. They accomplish the projects they feel are needed such as a target shed and brass containers while giving little consideration to what the people actually using the range feel is needed. Most importantly look around. Talk to older and successful clubs . Listen to memebers and more widely experienced shooters. Stop running scared!

QUESTION 10:

What, if anything, would you like to tell the current NRGSC board. (Compliments, Complaints, Concerns, Projects, etc)
 

As there were several positive replies we’ll acknowledge them, but don’t need to expand on them. Below are the responses to the concerns voiced by members:

  • Use List: We have discussed highlighting businesses that support NRGSC with either reduced rates or outright donations. The upcoming newsletter should allow for a better setting of the information you’re looking for.
  • Lapsed Membership: Any issues people reported to NRGSC were addressed on an individual basis. The most common issues were:  Use of a VPN to hide true location and causing Stripe to score high for probable fraud. Emails that either bounced back on a reply or (apparently) went into SPAM. 
  • Annual Safety Brief:  We are on leased BLM land and an established non-profit. We have to adhere to the guidelines our attorney and insurance providers require. Additionally, we’re a club that allows shooting of firearms. Safety is a priority and a 20 question test with some fairly common sense safety elements only takes 5 – 10 minutes a year to complete.
  • Appreciation Day Fee: The board debated this at length. The decision to charge a fee was to ensure we had an accurate head count. Previous “RSVP” responses have shown a large number of people who reply “Yes” and then never show up. With catered food this is especially problematic. Do you cook food for 10 people or 100? Without a nominal fee to cover the cost of food…the alternative was to not offer food and drink at the club that day.
  • IDPA: As covered in responses above, the proposal was several thousand dollars the club couldn’t allocate with other projects in the pipeline. There was also a heavy requirement for bodies to man the event, equipment, and logistics that NRGSC was unable to facilitate so the proposal had to be rejected.
  • Events: This survey shows that the majority of the members do not view this club as a social element, or place a very low priority on social engagement. Going forward the board will limit the events to fit the members preferences.
  • Items for Sale:  The website has a place for members to list items for sale or swap. There is also a discussion board feature that would allow members to share tips and tricks.
  • Renewal: The number one issue people run into is they forget to renew each year. Immediately following the non-renewed members cards being turned off, we receive a flood of emails asking why. 
  • Visitors:  The visitor policy was clarified last year and there is no fee for 2 guests of a current member. The limit of 2 is to ensure the member can supervise their guests for the safety of everyone at the club.
  • CYA Stuff: This is a direct result of an incident with the former care taker and an insurance claim. Our attorney and insurance providers have reviewed all the club policies and procedures. The changes many members are seeing are a direct result of reducing the clubs exposure to liability. Several of the club members who are attorneys or even judges have reached out to commend the recent changes and were shocked they hadn’t been in place before.
  • Fees: Even at $100 for an individual and $150 for a family, we still are being told that the fees are excessive. We are doing what we can with what resources we have. Unfortunately there were several high dollar projects that could not go overlooked any more. (Road grading for example)
  • LASC Volunteer Time: Our apologies if you felt the tenor of the response was disrespectful. Our membership base is much smaller than LASC and we struggle to get members to engage on projects as is. (Less than 5% being active) We felt that offering pizza in exchange for work seemed a bit out of place for our members.
  • Events Calendar: The club maintains a calendar of events scheduled at the facility. It is even broken out by specific range and/or bay. Currently there aren’t many events being scheduled so the calendar is fairly open.
  • Instructors: The board was faced with finding a solution for instructors who teach 30 people in a class as well as people who wanted to train 1 or 2 students once a year. The procedure put in place required any instructor to submit:  Business license, Proof of insurance, certifications for instructions, RSO to Student ratios, and frequency of classes. There was a flat fee for membership that was in lieu of collecting $5 per head, per class. RSO’s for instructors were given discounted memberships to help keep the classes safe. Only one instructor who regularly held classes at NRSGC submitted the information. That instructor has since found a private range closer to their classroom. We had instructors who claimed they were approved in the 1980’s with no records. The process in place now requires annual review of the required documents. A few applicants were unable to provide proof of insurance or a business license for the State of NM. As this is a huge liability the club was forced to deny these applicants.
  • Government: NRGSC is a 501c7 organization, not a government agency. Any and all projects at the club are considered when presented. Budgetary constraints with regards to other, more pressing projects, are the main factor when prioritizing what gets done and when. For example:  The road grading project was a significant expense. This postponed other projects to accommodate the budget. The upcoming rifle range project involves a significant amount of earth work which must be done by licensed contractors. It will, most likely, be the largest project we’re able to accomplish next year so smaller, less expensive projects, will be completed as we are able to find funds, and volunteers who step forward to do the work.

OVERVIEW, OBSERVATIONS, & RESPONSE

This survey provided the Board with a lot of good information. The insights gained from the responses will help the board prioritize multiple elements going forward.

The main reason the club is seeing a “tightening” of rules and policies is the direct result of an incident last year.

To those who may not already know. The previous caretaker had a fire in the club provided trailer. This rendered the RV as a total loss. As there was no written contract with the caretaker the club was exposed to enormous liability with regard to the fire, his role, and the clubs status as a non-profit.

After working with the club attorney and insurance companies for months, the end result was an overall tightening of how things are done at NRGSC.

Many of the issues that drive policy change are the result of a handful of people either not following the rules, or operating with total disregard to safety.

There have been multiple law suits from neighbors and even more threats of law suits from the same group. While not every shooter on the rifle range hears ricochets they occur quite often. The “happy medium” we’re trying to find is providing steel targets that mitigate the ricochets as much as possible, but don’t get destroyed by people using larger than allowed calibers.

Recently 30, 50 BMG casings were found on the range. This is prohibited and is even a question on the safety test. There is a risk of an errant round going a great distance and/or starting a wild fire from the friction on the round at distance. It is still unclear if this was an NRGSC member or someone who “snuck in” behind a member at the gate.

The Board is doing everything we can to keep NRGSC as “free” as possible but there is a small contingency of people who are causing these policy changes. With the results of this survey showing the vast majority of people do not see the club as more than an upgraded arroyo to shoot in, its hard to find the people causing the issues and remove them for violating policy or basic safety guidelines.

We ask if you see something, say something, so we can address it. 

Everything we do here is on a volunteer basis. If you’d like to become more active in the club or be considered for a board position drop us a line!

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