Morgan said First-Health of the Carolinas has pulled its offer to develop the senior center in the new FirstVillage complex on the hospital campus in Pinehurst.
“I was trying to work extremely hard to make this come about as soon as I could,” Morgan said Tuesday. “The money was not a secret.”
During state budget preparations earlier this year, Morgan secured two $500,000 grants to help Moore County get started on a senior center. Morgan said he did not approach FirstHealth until after he determined that the county was not moving on the project as quickly as expected.
A statement from the office of Charles Frock, FirstHealth president and chief executive officer, confirms Morgan’s understanding that the health nonprofit is withdrawing its offer to build the senior center.
“In light of the unresolved issues surrounding the county’s plans to construct a senior center, FirstHealth has decided to not accept the grant money at this time,” Frock said in a statement released Wednesday.
As of early this week, Morgan says the five commissioners have not taken any action on his request for adoption of a resolution expressing county support for the senior center.
“It seems like they should have been jumping cartwheels,” Morgan said. “At the risk of offending all five commissioners, I have gotten the distinct impression that they did not want a senior center because they thought the county would have to perpetuate it.”
Morgan says he is hurt and angry that the county appears to be turning its back on the offer. However, some of the commissioners say they do not understand Morgan’s view that the county doesn’t want a senior center.
Board Chairman David J. Cummings said he stopped studying the issue after learning that FirstHealth probably would take over the project. But with the latest word from FirstHealth, Cummings said he is ready to work on the project with fresh vigor.
“In light of FirstHealth’s withdrawal, we’re still very much interested in a senior center,” Cummings said late Wednesday afternoon. “We definitely want that million dollars and a senior center here in Moore County.”
Vice Chairwoman Virginia W. Saunders said she knows very little about the project because she has not been privy to any discussions about the $1 million or the senior center. She said the subject needs further study.
“That’s an awful lot of money,” she said. “I hope Moore County can get the money and put it to good use. If we can’t build a senior center, then Sandhills Community College would be at the top of my list.”
Saunders said the college has done a great job with an auxiliary campus in the Westmoore Agri-Civic Center and she thinks something could be worked out to benefit the county’s older residents.
Commissioner Colin McKenzie said he took Morgan’s location condition so seriously that he asked the Planning Department’s computer expert to draw up a map showing the area where the largest number of residents 60 and older reside. The map shows that the largest over-60 population is clustered in an area off U.S. 15-501 between Pinehurst and the intersection with N.C. 73.
“It ought to be located where the majority of people that age would find it convenient,” McKenzie said. “I wouldn’t want them to drive 35 miles to get there.”
McKenzie, who is a member of the Pinehurst Country Club, said most of his friends are likewise members of similar clubs. He said these friends, all about his age (fitting the 60- plus category), are not likely to take advantage of a senior center.
McKenzie said he was unaware that FirstHealth had withdrawn its offer and was also unaware that the commissioners had given the appearance that they were not interested.
“I thank Richard for getting the money,” McKenzie said.
Commissioners Michael Holden and Tim Lea could not be reached for comment.
The subject is not on the agenda for the commissioners’ Jan. 3 meeting, but Saunders points out that additional items can be added.
The grants are built into the state’s 2004-05 fiscal year budget and will be available until the fiscal year ends June 30. If not claimed by that time, the money will revert to the state.
In a letter to Cummings, dated Dec. 10, Morgan asked the commissioners to adopt a resolution signifying support for establishment and operation of a senior center. He attached three conditions for use of the money: that the center be established in a central location, that the facility also house the county’s Department of Aging and that the funds be used promptly.
When location became a problem, Morgan said he approached Frock about the dilemma.
“They were all excited and put together a proposition,” Morgan said.
But later, Morgan said Frock told him that FirstHealth “would take a pass” on the project.
“I thought it was quite creative,” Morgan said of the original FirstHealth proposal.
Instead of spending the $1 million on land and construction costs, FirstHealth could provide a facility at less cost in a central location familiar to everyone in the county, Morgan said. He said the final word won’t come until the FirstHealth board meets in January.
“If any life remains then, we will look at it again,” Morgan said. “It’s very clear from the excitement generated that someone tried to destroy the concept.”
In the fall Morgan met with a group of county officials to discuss the issue.
Morgan said two locations were mentioned. One was a former feed store warehouse in Carthage that was deemed unsuitable. The other was a relatively new but presently unoccupied building on U.S. 15-501 between Carthage and Pinehurst. It was determined that the latter property was not available because of legal entanglements.
As for the four acres on N.C. 22 in Southern Pines, Morgan said this land is not suitable because of the low-lying locale. He also thinks it is too close to the Moore County Children’s Center and that the N.C. Department of Transportation could not issue a driveway permit for another building in that particular location near the intersection with Pee Dee Road. Without an access permit, people using the center would be required to enter and leave by the same driveway serving the Children’s Center, Morgan said.
In securing the $1 million in grants, Morgan said he was considering a highly visible location on a major highway, such as U.S. 1, 15-501 or N.C. 211. Morgan said he has no idea how the rumor was started that he was insisting that the center be erected in Carthage.
“I never specified Carthage,” he said.
The acreage in Southern Pines was acquired through an initial gift of two acres by a local philanthropist and civic leader, the late David Drexel. The county later used funds from a $100,000 state grant to buy two more acres adjacent to the Drexel gift.
Plans were made for a fund-raising campaign to be launched on behalf of the nonprofit Moore County Resources for Seniors Inc. Although the organization secured additional grants and pledges, the campaign never got off the ground and was dormant until early this year.
“It hurts me, it bothers me and it angers me when I think about all the good things that could come out of this and that we may not be able to benefit,” Morgan said.
Morgan said he sees the stalling by the county as an effort to stop the project.
“FirstHealth is saying they’ll take a pass on this,” Morgan said. “Is this because Michael Holden doesn’t want a senior center in Moore County? Is this because Colin McKenzie doesn’t want a senior center in Moore County.? Is this because David Cummings doesn’t want a senior center in Moore County? Is this because Virginia Saunders doesn’t want a senior center in Moore County? Is this because Tim Lea doesn’t want a senior center in Moore County?”
Morgan tried to call some of the commissioners on Tuesday but had difficulty finding them at home or office. He left messages on machines and voice mail, but at least two of the commissioners, Cummings and McKenzie, say they were unable to reach Morgan when they tried to return the call. Saunders says she did not receive a call or a message.
