Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rutherford County asks Congress for $21.5 million to replace aging Smyrna airport control tower
Summary
The county adopted a resolution requesting that Congress appropriate $21,500,000 to build a new, ADA-compliant air traffic control tower at Smyrna Rutherford County Airport; supporters cited an FAA study, aging equipment, and expected Tennessee National Guard operations. Vote recorded: 20 yes.
Rutherford County commissioners on Jan. 15 voted to ask the U.S. Congress to appropriate $21,500,000 to fund construction of a new air traffic control tower at Smyrna Rutherford County Airport.
Commissioner Craig Harris, chair of the Steering, presented the resolution, saying the current tower is 72 years old, has aging equipment and does not meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards; staff cited a Federal Aviation Administration study recommending relocation and a tower 51 feet taller. "The current air traffic control tower does not comply with the standards outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act," Harris read, noting workers must climb multiple flights of stairs.
Evan Lester, executive director of the Smyrna Rutherford County Airport Authority, said the award and the county's partnership demonstrate the airport's regional role and capacity to support expanded operations. The resolution also referenced the Tennessee National Guard's planned move to the airport and the resulting increase in military flight operations.
After a brief request for discussion, the commission recorded the vote as 20 yes and the motion carried. No commissioner spoke against the resolution on the record. The resolution directs that copies be forwarded to Tennessee's congressional delegation and U.S. senators.
Next steps would be external to the county: the resolution is a formal request to Congress and does not by itself obligate county funds for construction or design work.
