FirstPark's governing board has made the right decision in turning down a proposal that would have unnecessarily restricted the types of businesses that could locate in the Oakland-based business and technology center.

Twenty of the 24 members -- each representing a town that financially supports FirstPark -- voted against the change.

The backdrop is the interest shown by Valley Distributors, now based on Belgrade Road in Oakland, in expanding, possibly at FirstPark.

Valley distributes beer and soft drinks, including Anheuser-Busch products. It's good news that a local business may be expanding -- wherever that may be.

Valley has made no commitment yet to FirstPark, but by voting to keep the park's rules (or covenants) as they are, Valley could be allowed to take one of the remaining 18 lots. It would have to abide by the design and other standards in FirstPark, but that's a reasonable restriction given that the park wants to maintain a high-level appearance.

The opposition to distribution companies was based on the opinion that that's not the kind of business FirstPark was designed to attract. While there's some validly to that argument, the park's mission does not exclude businesses such a Valley Distributors -- it's just not exactly the type of operation envisioned when FirstPark opened six years ago.

But this isn't 2002. The economy has changed a lot, and not a lot for the better. So the FirstPark board is wise not to narrow its choices in a slow-growth economy.

The 24 cities and towns that supported the creation of the high-tech park with their financial support are paying in more than they are getting back in shared property taxes from the current tenants there, the largest one being T-Mobile. But the idea behind the park was more jobs than it was taxes, and, especially with the example of T-Mobile, which employs 750, there has been success.

Currently, the park returns to member communities just under 50 percent of what the communities send to the park annually. If Valley were to become a FirstPark tenant, the return to the communities would increase to nearly 61 percent.

A bigger issue with the park -- other than general economic problems -- is having enough trained people to work at businesses that might consider the park, especially those that would need to hire a whole new workforce.

L.L. Bean was going to establish a call center there -- until T-Mobile did and Bean felt there wasn't enough qualified people in the area for both of them and backed out.

A large, qualified workforce is one significant factor in the way to success for FirstPark and its board is working with the state Department of Labor and others on that problem.

It's one that also should concern the state's higher education establishment.

Some have said it will take FirstPark 20 years to be a success. That may seem like too long, but it isn't when it comes to strategic investments. First-Park has started to pay off and we remain supporters of the park and its management.