The mayors of Sullivan and Washington counties say there is no mystery to a new model being proposed for economic development in the region. âItâs no secret,â Sullivan County Mayor Richard Venable and Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy said in what they called âan open letter on regionalismâ released on Wednesday. âThe resulting proposal is simple. Financially, local governments are asked for exactly this. Zero.â Venable and Grandy said they issued the statement to address âongoing regional conversations about how best to magnify the voice of Northeast Tennessee on economic, entrepreneurial, tourism and workforce development.â Their comments followed concerns expressed by the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen regarding the creation of a new âregional hubâ for economic development structured under the umbrella of the First Tennessee Development District. Kingsport officials said they have not been included in the process.