On Jan. 7, 2025, the Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners voted 4–1 to name the West Central Tribune the county's official newspaper for 2025; the board then designated the Lakes Area Review as the county's secondary official newspaper.

The decision followed presentations from each bidder and a discussion about statutory requirements for a "qualified newspaper." Auditor Mark Thompson presented the bid summaries to the board and asked commissioners whether they had questions about the bids and the newspapers' offices of issue.

The board heard that the Lakes Area Review proposed a standard advertising unit (SAU) rate of $9 for first and repeat insertions, with an 11% discount after 1,290 SAU inches that would reduce the rate to $8. The West Central Tribune's bid proposed $10 per SAU on first insertion and a 25% discount for repeats that would reduce a repeat insertion to $7.50. Kelly Bolden, representing the West Central Tribune, described the paper's distribution and digital presence: "We print twice a week, Wednesday Friday with a print edition. We print 6 days a week with an electronic edition, and our website is published 7 days a week." Ted Almain, representing the Lakes Area Review, told the board his paper publishes once a week: "We publish every Saturday," and said the Lakes Area Review circulates throughout the northern part of the county.

During debate, at least one commissioner raised concerns about where bills and advertising payments are processed and the newspapers' principal places of business. A county attorney review of the record prompted caution: the county attorney told the board the facts presented put the board in a "limited factual situation" under Minnesota statute and warned against disqualifying either paper based on the available material. The attorney said, in effect, that declaring only one qualified paper when both identify themselves as county newspapers could leave the county without leverage in future years and could raise legal risk.

Commissioners expressed competing priorities: some emphasized saving taxpayer dollars by choosing the lower bid, while others stressed the value of the local editorial presence and broad circulation. After discussion, the motion to name the West Central Tribune as the official newspaper carried on a voice vote recorded by the chair as "4 ayes, 1 nay." The board then voted to name the Lakes Area Review the county's secondary official newspaper; that motion carried.

The board's packet identifies the official-bid information and copies of the bids will be retained in county records. The county attorney's statutory concern and the differing operational footprints (print frequency, digital availability, and offices of issue) were key factors in the discussion.

What happens next: the West Central Tribune will receive official legal notices as the county's primary paper for 2025; the Lakes Area Review will serve as the secondary official paper. The board's discussion flagged the applicability of Minnesota statute to future selections and advised staff to preserve documentation about each bidder's qualifications and offices of issue.