WILLMAR -- Functional, efficient design is at the top of the list of criteria as the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission continues to search for a new office site.
The list was developed Thursday by the EDC joint operations board to help it reach a decision.
"We're trying to make this as logical a choice as we can, and a quantitative decision," said Steve Renquist, executive director of the Economic Development Commission.
The agency's quest for a new location has been a slow, arduous task.
The agency, which currently has its office in the Heritage Square building in downtown Willmar, has been looking for a new home since January. A three-person committee has visited and evaluated at least two dozen potential sites.
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The committee's first recommendation -- to move the EDC office onto the MinnWest Technology Campus -- hit opposition, however, and ultimately failed on a tie vote last month.
The process is now back at the beginning. Four options are under consideration: an office building next to Slumberland on Willmar Avenue Southeast; a professional center on Lakeland Drive Southeast, next to Home State Bank; the Medicine Shoppe pharmacy building on South First Street; and remaining at the present site downtown.
The list of criteria will help the committee evaluate each of the sites more objectively, said Betty Bollig, president of the operations board.
"We're asking for a little help from the board," she said.
Besides functional space, interior and exterior appearance was rated as a high priority by the board. Location and visibility also were seen as important.
Farther down on the list was parking availability. Total cost, including rent, utilities and renovation, was ranked last.
Oliver Hagen, a board member and a member of the site search committee, said these will be the measure against which each of the proposed office locations is reviewed.
A recommendation from the committee will be forwarded to the joint operations board and thence to the EDC joint powers board, which makes the final decision.
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"Hopefully they will take our No. 1 recommendation," Hagen said.
