THOMASVILLE — Thomas County commissioners took another step toward clearing a final hurdle for a public shooting range.

The county commission’s Public Property Committee voted to bid out removal of a Department of Transportation building, perhaps clearing the way to begin construction on the range.

“That’s the last loophole,” said Commissioner Wiley Grady, chairman of the Public Property Committee. “Once we get the building removed, we will begin construction of the shooting range.”

County commissioners approved an agreement with the state Department of Natural Resources last September to establish a public shooting range off County Farm and Woodruff roads. The contract with DNR for the shooting range was ratified in November.

The county has an agreement with the state DOT to provide a building for the agency. The county is expected to provide space for another building on the northeast corner of its property off Joiner Road near Cone Road.

“By contract, we have to furnish the Department of Transportation a building,” Grady said. “That’s our building. So we’ve got to move it and DOT has agreed to let us do that.”

Using federal grant funds, the state DNR will reimburse the county up to $800,000 of approved construction costs. The county is expected to provide $500,000 in matching in-kind services.

The agreement between the state and the county is for 25 years, and the range will be open year-round. Environmental and other studies were conducted on the parcel.

Estimates for removing the building are at $132,000, with the cost of taking out the electrical utilities at $35,000. County building maintenance director Lyndall Knight said the building’s wiring was changed from overhead to underground, leading to the projected price tag of removing electrical utilities. Knight was hopeful there will be some savings to be gained in the process.

The current building is 40 feet by 80 feet.