by Kate Shunney
Closing out two years of negotiations, planning and financial preparations, the Morgan County Building Commission on Monday officially purchased the former Ranking Fitness Center in Berkeley Springs to create a county-owned fitness and wellness center. 
In the Morgan County Commission meeting room on March 17, attorneys, county officials, a USDA representative and former property owner Kelly Rankin gathered to close on the sale.
Eric Lyda, President of the Morgan County Building Authority, along with Secretary Jim Chittock, led the meeting through a series of motions to approve the supplemental documents on a bond agreement, a first draw resolution and a USDA loan resolution.
The county, through the Morgan County Building Authority, purchased the facility from Rankin for $3.65 million.
Commissioners paid $1.25 million from federal American Recovery Plan funds, $250,000 from local Hotel/Motel Funds, and were approved for a $2.15 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will be paid by bond revenue over 30 years.
A physical therapy company that rents the southern portion of the Rankin Fitness Center building – H2 — will remain a tenant and their lease agreement will generate revenue for the county, in addition to paid fitness center memberships.
County officials said Monday that all of the current fitness center employees decided to stay on staff and would start to be paid by the county on Wednesday, officially transferring to county employment.
Earlier this month, the Morgan County Commission hired Matt Pennington as the new wellness center’s manager. Pennington started his new position on Monday.
Following the closing, Kelly Rankin said the sale was “bittersweet” since the facility was his first fitness and physical therapy center. He and his wife have built several throughout the Eastern Panhandle in the years since.
Rankin, a Berkeley Springs native, said, “I’m excited for the county. It’s a great asset for the public.”
“It was a big risk to build a facility this big and I’m very happy to turn it over to the county,” Rankin said.
County officials have said their hopes for the facility are to be able to offer a wide selection of movement and wellness classes, give youth organizations a place to practice and be active, and supply space for community events heading into the future.
The county will honor existing fitness center memberships and have said they will work with an advisory board to expand offerings and community access to the wellness facility.
