By MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer – Nov. 15, 2007 – 11:20 am

Murfreesboro Municipal airport has been honored yet again for excellence and overall commitment to air travel in Tennessee.

The airport was named Airport of the Year at the 22nd annual Tennessee Airports Conference in Nashville in September.

“It recognizes the efforts the airport commission and the city council have made to improvements to the airport,” Airport Manager Chad Gehrke said, adding the city has added taxi lanes, hangers and made terminal improvements to the airport.

The airport was always owned by the city, Gehrke explained, but it was manged by a private company until 1994. Mayor Joe Jackson and the city council took control of the airport’s management and implemented a long-term plan.

By making those improvements, the airport became self-sufficient through fuels sales and hanger rentals. Then it was able to receive federal and state monies to make additional improvements, he explained.

“Having a good plan and justifications for those improvements was very important,” Gehrke said.

“The award represents the vision of Mayor Jackson and the city council had back in the early 90’s,” he added.

The Tennessee Aeronautics Commission presents awards to organizations or airports for their overall commitment to the aviation system in Tennessee and recognizes airports with facilities and services that reflect community pride and commitment to quality.

The Murfreesboro Municipal Airport has previously won the 2002 "Most Improved Airport of the Year" Award and eighth "Front Door" Awards from the Tennessee Division of Aeronautics and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.