Ribbon cut at Fulton County Wellness Center

'When you think about these seniors and how important it is for their future health, a place like this brings them not only healthy hearts and healthy bodies, but also that community setting.'

Officials of Fulton County and the city of Rochester gathered Thursday to celebrate the change of ownership at the Fulton County Wellness Center, allowing it to continue its nearly 25-year run at the corner of Main and Sixth streets in downtown Rochester. 

Joining them for a ribbon-cutting ceremony were representatives of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce, Wellness Center founder and previous owner Dr. Ken Hoff, Wellness Center Director Susan Pyeatt and representatives of the Fulton County Council on Aging, which is taking over operation of the business. 

Prior to the ribbon being cut, Chamber Executive Director Jillian Smith shared a welcome message and invited Hoff and Rochester Mayor Trent Odell to share a few comments. 

"I think this is a good day for Rochester and the community," Hoff said, adding that he'd reached a point where he no longer wanted to be managing a business. He noted that donating the building and equipment to the city allows the Wellness Center to remain open, and he was excited about the Council on Aging taking over the reins. 

Hoff shared his appreciation for Terry Lee and Pyeatt being involved from the beginning and noted he's had some discussions with Council on Aging Executive Director Doug Beller on plans for the business moving forward.  

"They can do some new things, and hopefully it will be busier and better than ever," he said, finishing with, "Here's the keys, mayor."

Hoff said many of the long-time members of the Wellness Center have become almost like family. He added the transition comes as a relief, and he does not plan on managing any more businesses in the future. 

After learning that the Wellness Center was set to close at the end of October, city and county officials came together to invest in keeping it open. Recognizing it as an asset to the community and contributor to economic development, they split a $100,000 commitment to ensure its doors remained open. That investment was made with economic development income tax revenues from both sides, and some concern has been shared about local government getting involved in private business. 

City officials contend that this endeavor is the same as the arrangement the city already has with the Council on Aging, in which it owns the Community Resource Center, carries the insurance and assists with the maintenance of the building.  

Hoff later confirmed that he would be giving half the investment to the Council on Aging to get started. 

"They paid $100,000 for the personal goodwill and the name," he said. "Fifty thousand of that is going to the Council on Aging."

"My goal was always for it to be here for people to exercise if they want, and that's still going to be the situation," he said, adding that he'll enjoy lifetime membership as part of the deal. 

Odell began his remarks by clarifying that the city would not be running the business. 

"The Council on Aging is going to be running the business; we just have the building, but certainly want to thank Dr. Hoff for his generous gift to not only the community, but to the town."

Odell noted that he'd received several calls from people outside Fulton County that wanted the Wellness Center to remain open.

"We know it's a special place for not only our community, but even outside our community," he said, adding that it's common for those visitors to shop in town or go out for a meal after their workout. 

Although acknowledging there's a learning curve with every transition, he noted that with Pyeatt's experience and fresh ideas circulating hopefully some new revenue can be created for the facility and the Council on Aging. 

Beller shared his excitement in the transition, as well as some of those ideas, after the ribbon-cutting.  

"We're looking at trying to possibly put a pickleball court in, and Dr. Hoff was generous enough to donate a golf simulator, so we'd like to put that in too, maybe get some winter activity for the golfers," he said. 

He, too, was excited that Pyeatt would remain the facility's director with oversight from the council's board of directors. 

"We really need her," he said, adding that the facility's equipment – donated to the council by the city – also seems to be in good shape. 

His message to the public: "It's open to the community. Come on in, the more the merrier."

Pyeatt said it's an excellent feeling knowing that the Wellness Center is still here for the community, adding that she looks forward to growing and instituting new programs and classes.

"I'm looking forward to meeting new people, too," she said. "We've had increase already in older people, now that they know we're staying open, and younger people. We offer student passes, student membership that they can pay month to month, and we've had quite a few younger people already coming in."

She added that she's looking forward to working with the Council on Aging. 

"There's a lot for us both to learn, and if I can teach and help, that's what I want to do," she said. 

She also detailed some classes being offered, including a morning Iron Class, focusing on strength training; Cardio Drumming, with classes in the afternoons and evenings; SilverSneakers classes, working with older adults to improve muscular strength, range of motion and flexibility; a Lunch Hour Rush Class; a Bootcamp Evening Class; and yoga two evenings a week, with hopes of a Saturday morning class returning. 

The facility also offers employee wellness programs for the county and city, as well as local businesses. 

She encourages the public to come in for a workout, saying, "It's a place where fitness and health come together."

While the investment by local government has been criticized by some, to Odell it's similar to putting infrastructure in for a business. 

"If we spend money on infrastructure to hopefully land a business or a company, this is no different," he said. "We're providing infrastructure in this case – a building. It's already got everything that goes with it, so they can come in and operate their business as a nonprofit."

Odell additionally noted that should the city ever decide to sell the building, the county would receive half of the proceeds through an interlocal agreement. 

County Councilman Pete Karas did not support the county investing in the endeavor and was the lone no vote when the funding request was brought to the table. 

"I don't feel like county or city government should buy a business, especially when you're competing with a similar business in our town," he said, referencing FitStop24, located on the south end of town in Peace Tree Village Plaza. 

"I think we set a precedent that if you're a business in the community, especially a well-established one, and you get into some financial straits and your business is not successful, to come to your local government to be asked to be bailed out," he added. "I don't like when the federal government bails things out; I don't like it when our local government does it."

Another concern he shared is that the business reportedly loses approximately $30,000 a year. 

"What's going to happen if it continues to lose $30,000 a year? The Council on Aging can't fund that, so are the city and the county going to be asked to keep supporting it?" he asked. 

He also noted that it would probably be an "easier pill for the public to swallow" if tax dollars weren't being used toward the investment. 

One funding source suggested was that of the host fee collected from the County Line Landfill, however, Karas noted that's been tapped more than he'd like to see.

"The problem with the host fee is every time there is a need or a budget issue in county government, the host fee is mentioned," he said, adding it was recently used to secure the county's new ambulance provider. "We all know at some point in time that's not going to be there."

Karas clarified that he had no issues with the Council on Aging taking over operation, citing beneficial programs offered particularly to senior citizens, but added that he simply doesn't believe this new endeavor should be government funded. 

"As a business owner, and someone who is responsible for the citizens' checkbook, so to speak, I had a hard time spending money to purchase a business that was notorious for losing money. It doesn't make good business sense," he said. "What's being provided, especially for senior citizens, that's all great, but I don't know that we needed that building and that type of investment to do that."

Regardless, Karas said he hopes the Wellness Center sees success. 

"The last thing you want, whether I support it or not, is to see taxpayer dollars just prolong a problem," he said. "I hope that they can get enough creative funding and grants, when they're specializing on some of these things that your average gym might not, to be able to if not necessary turn a profit to at least be able to be sustainable."

County Councilwoman Amy Roe said she's happy the community is coming together to keep the Wellness Center running, and thinks it's been a vital part in keeping elderly clients healthy, both physically and mentally. 

“For many seniors in the community this is the place where they can come to work out and feel most comfortable. When you think about these seniors and how important it is for their future health, a place like this brings them not only healthy hearts and healthy bodies, but also that community setting," she said. "I think it's been super brilliant for the partnership with the Council on Aging with this. The mental and physical health of seniors in this community is extremely important to us, and having this facility is extremely important to many of them in maintaining that."

The following photos were captured by WROI Giant fm reporter Shelby Lopez at the ribbon-cutting ceremony: