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It’s a fair question to ask, and it has been asked of me many times, “Why doesn’t Steve Donnell use your range instead of setting up a shooting range in a residential neighborhood within the city limits?”
Steve Donnell, owner of Donnells Shooting Supplies, is no stranger to me. As president of the 29 Palms Pistol & Rifle club, I’ve had extensive dealings with Mr. Donnell, most of them not good. The Donnell saga begins with the discovery that Steve was using our non-profit facility to give shooting lessons for personal gain. This is a violation of the “not for profit tax codes” and could easily result in the termination of our non-profit corporate status, which would jeopardize our lease with the BLM. We later discovered that other club members, working out of Donnells, were also giving shooting lessons for personal profit.
Steve was signing up new gun club members at his gun shop, which I appreciated, and we got along fine for about a year and a half. When I had to confront him, I hoped he would understand that I didn’t have the authority to change the corporate codes, or tax codes when it came to using the facility for personal profit. I sent Steve a copy of our articles of incorporation and explained that his activities violated our articles and could put our non-profit status at serious risk. At first he was okay with it, and I was looking for ways to work around it. My solution was to have Steve rescind his membership and then rent range space to Donnells Shooting Supplies. I told Steve I would work on a contract, then discovered I didn’t have the authority to grant a long term contract without approval from the other board members, and they were not happy with the prospects of a commercial enterprise at the range.
We pretty much agreed we would give Donnell a six-month trial period, but the board members wanted to hear directly from Donnell. I wrote Steve informing him that the other board members wanted to meet with him and listen to his proposal. Donnell became extremely hostile, accusing me of stabbing him in the back. Things got much worse, in a phone conversation Donnell accused me of not knowing how to run a corporation, that he was going to get rid of me and replace me with someone who does, and that he had every right to use the range for personal gain.
Things began to escalate even further. Donnell sent a certified letter to the club demanding that we, at the scheduled meeting, produce all the clubs books and records, by-laws, and the names of everyone we had contracts with. The letter states: “Sir, all the above information will be produced at the meeting agreed upon by both parties.” It was an obvious attempt at intimidation.
Before the meeting it came to our attention that Donnell had a serious confrontation with the California Cadet Corps who were authorized to use the range for one of their yearly bivouacs. In written statements the cadet commander, an older woman, and a cadet sergeant gave a harrowing account of Donnells aggressive and unsafe actions against them at the range. Donnell basically ran them off the range so he could conduct his unauthorized shooting class.
The meeting was chaos, in hindsight we should have canceled it because at this juncture none of us wanted anything to do with Donnell. We listened to his proposal, then I confronted him on his hostility towards the club and the Cadets, and we eventually informed him that no contract would be forthcoming. His entourage yelled for my resignation and put us on notice that they were going to do whatever they damn well pleased and there was nothing we could do to stop them.
Another key player in this drama is Irving O. Stone III, a former city planning commissioner, and son of Irving O. Stone II, who founded Bar-Sto Precision Machine, the maker of stainless steel gun barrels. We old timers refer to Irving Stone III as “Irvy” to distinguish him from Irv senior. I’ve known the family ever since they moved out here from Burbank and we were always cordial friends, which is why I was surprised to see Irvy at the meeting defending Donnell and harassing me. Irvy and others insisted that the articles of incorporation allowed them to use the range for personal profit. Irvy cited other clubs that used their facilities for personal gain and agreed to look into the matter. I closed the meeting by stating that nobody is to put a single dime in their pocket until this issue is resolved.
Weeks went by and we heard nothing from Irvy. I spent at least a hundred hours on-line trying to find a code or court case that confirmed my position. There is a myriad of information on how to start a non-profit corporation, but nothing on how to run one. I decided to put an end to this confrontation and contacted the horses mouth. Here are excerpts from a letter written to Donnell, Irvy and others:
“Gentleman, After many hours of research to confirm my position on using our facility for commercial purposes, and listening to the self appointed donut shop legal experts, I decided to contact those who have the power and authority to shut us down because theirs is the only opinion that matters. Enclosed for your perusal is a letter to, and response from, the Internal Revenue Service. I have also contacted the California State Franchise Tax Board, and the Attorney Generals office, but have not yet received a reply.”
“As far as I am concerned your beef with me and the other directors is over. If you have any questions or beefs about using the range for commercial purposes or personal gain you are invited to take it up with the Internal Revenue Service. You have their telephone number and address and they advised me that they would be happy to discuss it with you.”
“I trust that you gentlemen will show good judgment and not place this organization in jeopardy by conducting any type commercial enterprise at the facility, and that you will immediately cease any type commercial activity, so that no further action by the directors will be necessary.”
Bringing the tax authorities into the equation shut them up like a bank vault, but Donnell continued along a different avenue by filing a bogus complaint against the corporation and its’ officers with the State Attorney Generals Office. I spent a huge amount of time answering this complaint and it was dismissed within a week. I can only surmise that Donnell was attempting to get rid of the directors and take over the range for his personal ambitions.
Here’s a snapshot of Steve Donnell. He tells me I don’t know how to run a corporation, threatens to get rid of me, sends a hostile demand letter for our records, intimidates an older women at the range who is charged with the safety and well being of 40 young cadets, then comes to the meeting fully expecting us to enter into a business contract with him. A few weeks later he files a complaint against us with the Attorney Generals Office. Please excuse us if we don’t want Donnell on our range.
Donnell was right about one thing, there were things I didn’t know about running a C7 non-profit. Most people who run small non-profits have no idea what the corporate codes and tax codes are. The corporate codes are so ambiguous that they should be tossed out for being incomprehensible. The authorities usually cut the small non-profits some slack so long as they act in good faith and stay with the activities they were incorporated for. They realize that many small non-profits provide valuable services to the community. One important item I learned is that a C7 non-profit is severely limited to how much outside revenue it can take in. If we collect $1000.00 in membership dues, we can only collect $150.00 in outside revenue, or 15 percent of dues collected. This puts a severe restriction on commercial activities. We couldn’t accommodate Donnell even if we wanted to.
Donnell has cost me many hours of time and an extreme amount of stress. Just when I think he is out of my life, he gets dragged back into it. This time with a shooting range he’s setting up in a residential neighborhood. Irv Stone senior bought this property to test problem handguns for accuracy using a Ransom rest. It was never intended as a full time range and was never used as such. Irv senior got along fine with the neighborhood. Irvy inherited the property upon the passing of Irv and sold it to Donnell.
Listening to gunfire while sitting at home is extremely annoying and unnerving, especially when you don’t know who’s doing the shooting and which direction there muzzles are pointing. I live in the unincorporated area of the county and I can legally shoot on my property, but I don’t because I do not wish to disturb my neighbors. On the weekends I put up with gunfire from weekenders and tourists. My rule is simple, you shoot at my house, and I shoot back.
A weekender with a cabin about a quarter mile away kept waking me up early on a Sunday morning. It sounded like his 9mm pistol was going off right beneath my bed. I requested that he wait a little later to start shooting, and with this kind of inconsideration he was going to instigate another shooting ban, and that he was giving shooters a bad reputation. He never bothered me again. Most shooters do not realize how far the noise from a gunshot will travel and how intense it is even from a mile away.
It’s not difficult to predict what Donnells intentions are. He wants to set up a shooting range to do the things he can’t do on our range. The neighborhood can look forward to shooting lessons with lots of centerfire rifles and pistols being discharged, and it will sound like a war zone. There will be traffic charging through private property, and then the night shoots will come. Those in the affected neighborhood definitely have a problem. Unlike my weekender, Mr. Donnell does what he pleases and could care less about how his actions affect others.
The city has three choices in dealing with the problem. Pass a city wide shooting ban, deal only with the affected property, or ignore it and hope the complainers go away. Les Krushat, a retired Air Force fighter pilot, was one of the first city councilman and a life member of the gun club. We discussed a shooting ordinance within the city limits and agreed that no one should have a problem with a shooting ban in the city provided there is a provision for using a firearm in self defense. I always believed the ordinance was passed, so did everyone else, but apparently it was not.
The problem with a city wide ban is that there are rural areas within in the city boundaries where a person can hunt without disturbing or endangering anyone. The city could get together with area hunters and draw up a shooting map for areas that could be open to bird hunting with shotguns.
Dan O’Brien, the publisher of this blog, the Hi Deserts only alternative news media, knows how skillful the city is when it comes to screwing with people. I assisted Dan in a two year lawsuit against the city for an illegal abatement, and we spearheaded the recall attempt against the city council. The question has to be asked, why isn’t the city screwing with Donnell?
The 29 Palms Pistol & Rifle club was founded in 1956 by Dr. William T. Ince, and incorporated August 31, 1964. Its’ 80 acre facility is located across from the county transfer station on Pinto Mountain Road.
At the expense of the membership the club provides free range time for the California Highway Patrol, The California Cadet Corps (Morongo Unified School District) Copper Mountain Campus police science class, California Department of Fish & Game, and units of the United States Armed Forces. The National Park Service, Joshua Tree National Park, also trains at the range for a small yearly fee.
Information about the club is on this website. Scroll down the page and click on the club logo off to the right.
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Related posts:
- Donnell Letter from City uncovered, “Business activites will be prosecuted.”
- An Interview with 29 Palm Pistol & Rifle Range President Ron Brault
- An Interview with gun Range Owner Steve Donnell and Company
- Gun Range: I don’t like being lied to. No one likes being a patsy
- Part I: Review of Target Range Under Fire
Thank you Mr. Brault for your insight.
I can only imagine the letdown and helplessness homeowners in the neighborhood must feel living close to a paramilitary high-power rifle range (in city limits) that sound like a war zone.
It’s now in the hands of the City Council. I trust they will act in the best interest of the community, homeowners, and their respective investments, to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens.
Regards, Branson Hunter.
Mr. Brault,
I have to give my personal opinion on this matter. I have been a resident of 29 Palms for 14 years & my husband has resided here for 43 years. I had never shot a weapon in my entire life and Mr. Donnell made me feel very safe and comfortable when he taught me to use my firearm. I was most impressed with his upmost respect for not only me but my husband also. We were concerned with protecting our home and most importantly our “10″ children. The safety and training that he taught us was very beneficial. I have to totally disagree with the accusation of him being disrespectful to women. I have never witnessed a single aggressive or unsafe action commited by Mr. Donnell. You know, his actions have affected our family greatly. He showed us great concern for our well-being and safety. My husband and I have decided to attend any and all city meetings that concern this matter in defense of Mr. Donnell and his range.
Sincerly,
Frank & Lisa Bundy
To the readers of this Blog. I have only one thing to say, I have and do operate within the letter of the law if you would like to see the documentation on this matter with the range come by the shop.
Mr Brault, I have had no contact with you or your range since our meeting,(the meeting where you persacuted me and tried to kick me out of the club before ever hearing my proposal) but YOU keep coming after me and my business. If you want to put this to rest lets have a public meeting and have all of YOUR members of the range attend and lets bring all of the documentation and witnesses. Lets let the people of the community decide.
To Mr. Hunter why does a person shooting a hand gun or rifle make things paramilitary it could just be people target shooting and having a good time how fast we are to put lables on things that we don’t understand. So all the shooters at the 29 range are paramilitary?
Sincerely Steven Donnell
Thank you Mr. Donnell for your reply. The activities as described in “Part II: Review of Target Range Under Fire” raises legitimate concerns of it being a paramilitary range.
Though shooting a handgun or rifle into the rocky hillside doesn’t make it paramilitary.
What about the neighborhood, and Mr. and Mrs. Burdett and Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins? The range only became a problem since July 2009 after you bought and developed it with structures erected, a tower build and grading enlargement. Before that homeowner report it was never a problem.
What if someone was hiking out there when your invitees are shooting long distance across and onto BLM property over a thousand feet away, as reported.
The tower is not fenced. Could a child climb it, fall off and incur serious bodily harm, or worse? With all due respect, it certainly is a ultrahazardous activity out there as well as likely and attractive nuisance. None of this existed before July of 2009.
Wow. I read all three articles concerning this situation. All I can say is there are some seriously misinformed and/or ignorant people speaking about a subject they hove no clue about. As for Mr. Brault, I attended the meeting in question as a member in good standing the the 29 Palms rifle and pistol club, and when I respectfully attempted to speak my mind you got hostile, yelled at me and started heading my direction. So if everyone wants to take his word into account keep in mind, I decided not to renew my membershipbecause Mr. Brault is an unpleasant, hostile and disrespectfull individual. I have shot on the range in question and all the firing is done in a safe direction which, according to the standards(U.S. Marine and Army standoff and ricochet standards) more than meets safety requirements. This is all about Mr. Burdett and his self claimed road.
Alot of Marines live in this area, as a matter of fact most of the business in this town relys on Marines. Hence, alot of marines go shooting, having Marines go to a range and shoot does not make it “paramilitary” any more than having Police officers going to the range make it a “S.W.A.T.” range. Are you people serious. Anyone who has attended any defencive pistol of rifle shooting classes will say you need more than one or two well slow fire shots to protect yourself or your family, you need as many as necessary. That being said if you want to go to the range and prepare yourself for a situation you hope never happens, you will practice shooting several well aimed rapid shots to the high upper chest. Duh. Besides half these people have never been to a “war zone” so how can one speculate what it “sounds” like. Those of us who have can tell you it’s alot louder, and more chaotic. Enough heresay you guys. Irv Stone used to fire hundreds of rounds preping for matches, and now people have a problem. these articles are proposterous and yet at the same time humerous.
Dear Frank & Lisa Bundy,
Congratulations on well written letter. It read very smooth and I was impressed by your writing prowess. The problem is that there are items you didn’t consider. I don’t make “accusations.” I stated in the editorial that I had affidavits on file written by the Cadet Commander, and a 15 year old Cadet Sergeant who was involved in the incident. I believe Donnell has a copy of them. I also have verbal testimony from others who were there.
Because he is nice to you guys doesn’t mean he is nice to everybody. I explained why Steve Donnell is not welcome on our range, because people keep asking, and I gave his current victims an idea of the type person they are dealing with.
I was easy on Steve, I could have mentioned the six letters I have on file from club members who were gravely concerned over his gross mishandling of firearms, and firearms safety issues during his events. I will spare the details.
The real issue is the inconsideration, a Donnell hallmark, towards the neighborhood where he is setting up his shooting range. Would you be okay with someone setting up a commercial shooting range in your neighborhood? If so, why don’t you invite Donnell set his range up near your place?
Best Regards,
Ron Brault
Dear Steve and John,
Yes John, you are correct, I can become unpleasant, hostile and disrespectful when I’m forced to confront nonsense from self serving, convoluted cretins like yourselves. I don’t ever recall getting in your face, but I did get into Walt Coffman’s face.
Donnell threatens me, could care less about the legal jeopardy he places our range in, intimidates a woman Cadet commander on a range that I am responsible for, and you guys can’t understand why I was hostile. You set up a shooting range in a residential neighborhood and can’t understand why people are upset. You guys do as you please without conscience, consideration or compassion for others. I believe the proper term for such behavior is “sociopathic.”
This episode isn’t about easement rights, it’s about noise, breaking County Ordinances, being inconsiderate, safety, and traffic. You guys are pissing people off, and making us shooters look like irresponsible uncaring slobs at a time when we don’t need it.
Steve, you write that “I have and do operate within the letter of the law.” Yes Steve, we know that you’re as clean and pure as the wind driven snow and that you are a legend in your own mind.
Steve Says, “you tried to kick me out of the club before ever hearing my proposal.” Once again you attempt to alter the facts to portray yourself as an innocent victim, and attempt to make others look bad. You were allowed to present your entire proposal at the meeting, and Vice President Tom Boring stated that is was all for you and nothing for the club, and then I tried to kick you out of the club. You were fortunate that Lt/Colonel David Werner, USMC Retired, who is executive officer of the entire California Cadet Corps and secretary of the club, was gracious enough not to vote you out after the way you treated his cadets.
I’m not coming after you Mr. Donnell, the less I have to do with you the better, the problem is that you keep getting sucked back into my life. I’m not a vindictive person, and don’t waste time on non-productive vendettas. People were asking questions of me and I answered them.
You say you want to have a public meeting to “let the community decide.” Even Forrest Gump could figure out that the community has already decided, they don’t want you in their neighborhood. Your sycophant cronies are the only ones who support you. How can you possibly think that you have any credibility when you could care less about disturbing the peace and tranquility of an entire residential community? The same way you disturbed the peace and tranquility of our gun club because we refused to let you place our non-profit status in jeopardy.
Speaking of meetings, where were you during the first city council meeting that addressed this issue? Rather than show up yourself you sent Irvy Stone to do your bullschitting for you.
I understand Jim Burdett has an offer for you. He is willing to buy your range property if you will go somewhere else. Your gun shop is out of the city, why don’t you set up your range there? How about the indoor range you talked about? Better yet, why don’t you do everybody a favor and move to South Dakota with your buddy Irvy? Most people in town and aboard the base have got your course and are tired of your silly dilly nonsense and trouble making.
Since this isn’t really my beef, and I’ve said everything that I feel obligated to say, I sincerely hope this will be the last post I am required to write on this matter. You guys can have the last word. Besides, Murphy’s Law warns to never argue with idiots because spectators won’t know who is who.
See you guys in the funny papers.
Best of regards,
Ron Brault
I am a former Marine and long time resident (24yrs) of 29 Palms and a new member (2nd year) of the Gun Club.
I don’t believe I have ever met Mr Brault and only met Mr Donnell just recently at the November Grizzly Gun Show. From his (and his family’s) behavior towards me at that show I can totally believe everything Mr Brault says about him.
At the show I had purchased a rifle from Cold War Shooters (CWS) and was offered the opportunity to handle the transaction through Donnell’s shop instead of having to go to Highland to take delivery. Though I didn’t ask what the cost would be I assumed it would be reasonable since CWS was the only reason there even was a “Gun Show” in the first place. After all without CWS why would anyone pay $5 for the privilege of viewing the guns offered for sale by the local shops (Donnell’s and Bear Arms) that they could otherwise look at for free.
After I was taken to Donnell’s area I was informed by Mrs Donnell of the $60 in fees that I would pay for their service. She broke it down as $30 for them to do the deal and $30 for the DROS (even though State law sets the DROS fee at $25). When I commented on the rather steep fee, instead of being given some possibly plausible explanation I was instead simply VERY rudely informed that it was legal and that they had been doing this for over five years without any complaints.
I then commented that the excessive fee and their attitude (along with the overpriced guns I observed on their sales display) would preclude me from ever doing further business with their establishment. They haughtily replied that was fine by them and that they could do without my business.
As I filled out the required forms there was a constant flow of snide comments between Donnell and his wife. At one point, when I replied to a comment, his wife even told me that we could stop the paperwork and I could go back to CWS to complete the transaction, to which I replied in the negative. However when Donnell then immediately reiterated the offer to stop the paperwork I agreed, told them where they could stick their business and went back to CWS.
Despite Donnell’s claim of how it would cost me more then their fee to pick up my rifle from Highland I actually saved enough by doing so to take my wife out for dinner when we went down. Apparently my vehicle gets MUCH better mileage then his. Since we also used the trip to take care of some shopping that we were going to do anyways it technically cost me nothing in gas to pick up the rifle. Something I had pointed out to Donnell at the show and which he had simply dismissed as not a consideration in his pricing scheme.
It seems that doing a 3rd-party sale is much harder for Donnell then it is for Yellowmart and Turners Outdoorsman as both of those locations will do the same transaction for $10 over the DROS.
Besides their VERY poor attitude towards someone that could have possibly spent large sums of money at their business (and recommended them to his gun buying friends), the Donnells willingness to lie about the cost of the DROS fees doesn’t reflect well on their integrity and is something that any potential customer should consider.
I have known the Donnells for many years, even well before they opened their shop in 29 Palms. If you are an obnoxios customer, you will be treated by the Donnells with patience and dignity, until you cross over the line and become insulting and abusive. Then, you will be asked to take your business else where, and rightly so. I am sure that all of the costs associated with submitting the DROS via wireless telephone modem were explained to you. It is not a cheap process to do anything via wireless modems, and there are no available phone lines at that venue for the use of businesses displaying and selling at the gun show. Be nice and you will be treated nicely….
Based on your post it seems that the Donnell family’s threshhold for what they consider “obnoxious, insulting and abusive” is VERY LOW. Apparently it is reached whenever a customer doesn’t blindly accept their pricing scheme, since I was treated VERY rudely as soon as I simply mentioned that their fees seemed kinda high. Now perhaps they were just cranky from listening to all the previous customers asking the same question but that is a situation of their own making. Mrs Donnell did seem upset when she commented to me, “that the ColdWarShooter rep hadn’t been mentioning the high fees prior to bringing customers over like he should have”. But then again why should he? It wasn’t his fee and he obviously didn’t want to deal with customers complaining about it.
As I already stated, there was NO explanation given as to why they thought the $30 fee was justified (over the $10 others normally charge) or why they also felt the need to inflate the cost of a set-by-law-State-mandated-fee by another $5 to further increase their profit.
As too the expense of a wireless connection, your knowledge is apparently way out of date. My cellphone has FULL unlimited internet capability for an additional $30 a month added to my voice plan and can function as a wireless modem at no further additional charge by simply connecting it to a computer via an inexpensive USB cable. Apparently the CWS rep had a much better data plan then Donnell since he wirelessly transmitted the DROS forms at no cost beyond the State’s $25 fee and had done so for every customer that decided not to pick their gun up at Donnell’s.
As I stated previously a business that considers lying about the amount of a State fee to be a normal business practice shows a lack of integrity and should give any potential customer pause. The original lie can’t be explained away no matter how “obnoxious” a customer might later become because of it.
Nor can the lies of a “customer” with an axe to grind be explained away either. What exactly is YOUR real problem, other than that you are just looking to cause more trouble just for troubles sake. Get a real life and keep your lies and prejudice to yourself, or maybe just move back to the hills of Tennessee with your wife/sister/mother….