Buddy Walker, representing Networks (the county's economic development entity), presented the quarterly report and introduced Michael Parker, director of economic development, who detailed work on several industrial parks and partner properties.

Parker described activity at Partnership Park 1 (near Tri-Cities Airport), Partnership Park 2 (Highway 394, Bristol) and other sites. He said the authority sold and graded a site to Siemens and has an active $1,000,000 state grant for Lot 2 improvements; bids were open and staff expected construction this summer to prepare a 32-acre pad that could support roughly 300,000 square feet of building. "We actually sold that site to Siemens Corporation before we completed grading activities on there," Parker said.

Networks described a recent 41-acre Airport Parkway purchase (Exit 63) and staff plans to pursue roughly $3.4 million in state grant funds to create two pad-ready sites. Walker and Parker emphasized that state grant programs are a common funding source for site readiness and that state participation can exceed 75% for some projects.

Speakers said multiple parks have development opportunities but also constraints (floodplain, gas line easements or need for rail access). Parker said the Aerospace Park (60 acres adjacent to the airport) is federally owned and thus available only as long-term land lease to tenants that require runway operations; staff are marketing the property with outside consultants and national developers.

Commissioners asked about specific parcels and the timeline for grant work; Parker said some projects are shovel-ready or nearing bid opening and that grant solicitations and state timelines may delay construction by months but typically are part of a strategy to leverage state dollars for site costs.

Ending: Networks asked for continued commission support as it pursues grants and marketing; no formal county action or funding request was adopted during the presentation.