Morgan County wellness center reports membership surge, wins $6,400 youth recreation grant

The Morgan Wellness Center reported sharply rising use and an award of a $6,400 grant for youth recreation during the County Commission meeting on June 18.

The wellness center director (presenting to the commission) said the county took ownership of the facility on March 17 and documented growth in visits and paid memberships in the first three months. The director told commissioners the facility recorded about 496 visits the partial month of March, 1,655 visits in April and more than 2,200 visits in May, with paid membership counts rising into the mid‑1,900s by May. The presenter described peak usage in the morning and early evening and said many Medicare-insurance programs contribute recurring visits.

Grant and partnerships: The presenter announced the Sealy Foundation awarded a $6,400 youth recreation access grant to support clinics and programming during the school year and said staff will coordinate with the Morgan County Board of Education and local nonprofits on program development.

Financials and goals: The director said membership-sales revenue totaled roughly $4,100 year-to-date through mid-June and that the center expects to exceed $7,000 in membership sales for the month the commission met. The facility reported about $510 deposited from SilverSneakers claims and that other insurance reimbursements are under review. Staff set an internal target of 500 members, 20,000 visits and $12,000 monthly revenue by December 2025.

Operations and staffing: The presenter credited county maintenance and administrative support for making facility upkeep feasible and said the county plans community open-house marketing, employer outreach, senior programs and specialty classes. Commissioners asked questions about member visit frequency versus new memberships; the presenter said most of the recent growth reflected new members rather than existing members merely coming more often, and acknowledged ongoing work to audit insurance-based membership counts.

Hire approved: Separately on the consent agenda the commission approved hiring Gabriel Ellis as a part-time wellness center employee at $14 an hour, retroactive to June 7.