Last fall, the executive officer of the 85-year-old Kitsap Rifle and Revolver Club stood up at a Kitsap County Commissioners meeting to make an announcement. “There are many people that have let us be known . . . that they will spare no expense to see to it that this county prosecutor, and [code enforcement officer] Steve Mount, are put down like a rabid dog,” said Marcus Carter.The statement, interpreted by some parties as a veiled (and grammatically dubious) death threat, underscored deep tensions between the shooting range and county leaders, who have waged a sustained campaign to bring the club to heel. The latest chapter in the saga has the county moving toward making all shooting ranges apply for an annually renewable permit. Under current rules, only new gun clubs need to apply for a permit.”Personally, I think it’s an insult to all the current ranges in the county,” Carter told the Kitsap Sun yesterday. “Obviously, it’s a political move. It’s a result of the lawsuit against our club.”The lawsuit he’s referring to was filed last year by the county attorney. It alleges that the range underwent a significant upgrade without getting the necessary permission, that the noise level has gone up and constitutes a public nuisance, and that the new-and-improved range is laid out in such a way that stray bullets can wind up outside the club’s acreage. The case is slated to go to trial next month, though the sides are in mediation in an attempt to resolve it before then. Follow The Daily Weekly on Facebook and Twitter.