Ripley approves conveyance, deed and purchase steps tied to Walker East Industrial Park and buyer called Project Bion

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to accept a 3.403-acre conveyance from the Industrial Development Board and approved related property actions at Walker East Industrial Park intended to clear title and allow a pending sale to a buyer described in the transcript as Project Bion (also referred to as Project Bond).

Unidentified Speaker 3 explained the parcel had not been part of the original Feist lease and that the board action transfers that acreage to the city so it can be folded into the buyer’s purchase acreage. The board approved the conveyance by roll-call, with councilmembers answering in the affirmative during the roll-call announced by the presiding official.

The board approved a deed of dedication for Walker East Drive, the roadway serving the Walker East site, and later approved an access easement granting ingress and egress rights for the buyer. A motion and roll-call to approve a purchase-and-sale agreement with the buyer was made and recorded as passing; the meeting transcript identifies the mover and second in discussion and shows named councilmembers answering during roll calls.

City officials said lawyers are drafting contingency language for the deal; outstanding items the city said remain to be finalized include: how many jobs the buyer will commit to initially and over time, the precise purchase date, when the buyer must begin operations, and remedies available if the buyer fails to perform. During discussion, speakers referenced a previously approved $15,000 figure and an estimated per-acre calculation (about $26,000 per acre) for remaining usable acreage.

The transcript contains inconsistent spellings for the buyer and other proper names (for example, 'Project Bond' vs 'Project Bion' and 'Feist' vs 'Fice'); the article uses the name Project Bion with the transcript variants noted. The board voted to approve the conveyance, deed and related agreements during the meeting; the transcript records the votes as passed.