Maine: Town of Standish Declines Range Expansion

On November 14^th, the Standish Town Council unfortunately voted to reject a proposal for town land to be leased to the Standish Fish & Game Club in order for it to expand range operations.

Until recently, the discussions on this joint venture between the Town Council and the Club were positive.  Then, several anti-gun Standish residents and town council members expressed opposition to the lease/expansion after learning that it is an NRA-affiliated club, which requires all of its members to also enroll in the NRA.  They demanded that the club change its by-laws and end this affiliation requirement before a new lease was to be approved.  This ended up being one of the factors that resulted in the Town Council voting not to grant the lease.

This demand was unreasonable and violates the First Amendment right of association by trying to dictate a private club’s affiliation with the parent organization that sets range safety standards and provides membership benefits.

Your NRA would like to thank all who attended the town meeting to show support for the Standish Fish & Game Club efforts to lease land and expand their shooting sports facility without political interference.  Stay tuned to www.nraila.org and your email inbox for further updates.