By Perry Schaible
Enquirer contributor

LOVELAND - City Council could soon revise an ordinance that prohibits the discharge of firearms within city limits to allow for an indoor shooting range on Loveland-Madeira Road.

Before any changes are made, officials will hold a public hearing Aug. 10 at the city administration building.

Marvin Mann and Dan Lovett, co-owners of Shooters' Supply Shop in Loveland, want to expand their business into the Matthew 25 Ministries building, a church on Loveland-Madeira Road that plans to move to Blue Ash in late August.

"This is really state-of-the-art - it's as safe as you can make the facility," attorney William Gustavson, representing Mann and Lovett, told council Tuesday night.

"It provides people of varied interests a way to exercise those interests," said Councilman Rob Weisgerber, who supports the shooting range.

Jason Lloyd, manager of Collex Collision Experts on Loveland-Madeira, was surprised Wednesday to hear about the possibility of a shooting range so close to his father's business.

"I just don't think it's a good idea," he said. "(Shooting ranges) are usually in the middle of nowhere."

Also Tuesday, freshman Councilman Paul Elliott withdrew an invoice submitted to the city by his company, Apex Inc., to avoid the appearance of an ethical violation.

The city charter prohibits council from conducting business with the city. An employee purchased 50 yard signs for the Concerts in the Park series from Apex for approximately $300 earlier this year.

Elliott apologized to council and residents, saying he didn't think he was in violation of the charter because he purchased the signs from a vendor and passed them on to the city at cost.