Neel Senior Center gets $250,000 grant

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
A long wait for a new senior center in the Neel community will soon be over, thanks to the approval of a $250,000 construction grant announced by county and state elected officials Oct. 14.
State Rep. Micky Hammon, R-Decatur, made the announcement to Site Manager Carla Oakes and about 15 senior citizens who had assembled at the center to play games and eat lunch. He was accompanied by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, Morgan County Commission Chairman John Glasscock, District 2 Commissioner Ken Livingston and Debra Rains, Morgan County director of aging.
He said he was notified of the grant application approval by a member of the Governor’s staff the day before.
The new center will be located on the old center site on Danville Road. It will contain 2,400 sq. ft. of floor space and will be handicap accessible. It will also have a safe room, or storm shelter.
The 80/20 ADECA grant requires a $50,000 local match, a portions of which will be met by in-kind services, according to Livingston. A dilapidated building has to be removed from the site and grading and leveling work done before construction begins.