Municipal airport named state’s best

By Lacie Morrison
lmorrison@mineralwellsindex.com

City officials were metaphorically on Cloud Nine when Mineral Wells Municipal Airport received the “Airport of the Year” award Thursday night in Corpus Christi from the Texas Department of Transportation during its 25th annual conference.

According to Airport Supervisor Bobby Bateman, this is the first time, to his recollection, the airport has received this award.

He explained that the award was presented at the end of the Texas Aviation Conference hosted by the TxDOT Aviation Department.

“Thursday night is the banquet where they give out six or seven awards and we got one of them,” he remarked.

The award, framed in wood and matted on blue velvet, contained a TxDOT medallion and a small, engraved plaque. Bateman accepted the award from David Fulton, TxDOT’s aviation director, who shared with the evening’s audience a brief history of the airport as well as its recent improvements.

“There’s 389 airports that TxDOT supports, funding-wise,” Bateman explained. “We were fortunate enough to have a thoughtful and progressive city administration and a capital improvement grant. I’m sure they [TxDOT] know there’s going to be growth in this area in the future.”

“We’re very elated,” remarked Mineral Wells Mayor Clarence Holliman. “I think it shows the tremendous work and dedication that’s been a staple for the airport, it’s board and crew. It’s an honor and I think we have one of the finest airports for a city our size in the United States.”

Holliman noted that the recognition would “without a doubt” increase the marketability of the airport and the community.

“As people look at what we have to offer and as we bring in new businesses and industries and as current businesses and industries we have here fly in people, they’re going to find our airport is an all-weather airport,” he remarked.

Bateman agreed that the award is beneficial towards promotion of the facility. He noted that they could put the recognition on the vehicles they use for advertising as well as on their Web site.

City Manager Lance Howerton attended Thursday’s banquet along with Ed Weir, who’s on the airport board.

“This is a very positive recognition for the airport and a positive recognition for the community as well,” Howerton said. He added that the award reinforced the belief of many that are involved with the airport – from the airport staff, board and city council, among others – that Mineral Wells has one of the premium general aviation airports in the state.

“It’s quite an accomplishment, a great honor that’s the result of a lot of hard work …,” Howerton said.