(1) the service provider serves an economic region generally consistent with one or more of the State's regional planning commission regions;

(2) the service provider demonstrates the ability and willingness to provide planning and resource development services to local communities and to assist communities in evaluating economic conditions and prepare for economic growth and stability;

(3) the service provider demonstrates an ability to gather economic and demographic information concerning the area served;

(4) the service provider has, or demonstrates it will be able to secure, letters of support from the legislative bodies of the affected municipalities;

(5) the service provider demonstrates a capability and willingness to assist existing business and industry, to encourage the development and growth of small business, and to attract industry and commerce;

(6) the service provider appears to be the best qualified service provider from the region to accomplish and promote economic development;

(7) the service provider needs the performance grant and that the performance grant will be used for the employment of professional persons or expenses consistent with performance grant provisions, or both;

(8) the service provider presents an operating budget and has adequate funds available to match the performance grant;

(9) the service provider demonstrates a willingness to involve the public of the region in its policy-making process by offering membership to representatives of all municipalities in the economic region which shall elect the directors of the governing board;

(10) the service provider demonstrates a willingness to coordinate its activities with the planning functions of any regional planning commission located in the same geographic area as the service provider. (Added 1977, No. 112, § 1; amended 1979, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 1983, No. 39, § 2; 1989, No. 21, § 4; 1995, No. 46, § 30; 2009, No. 146 (Adj. Sess.), § G3; 2015, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § C.1, eff. July 1, 2017.)