HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3 - Designation of Official Newspaper
MAYOR & COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
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DATE: January 6, 2014 CONSENT ITEM # 3 AGENDA ITEM: Designation of Official Newspaper
SUBMITTED BY: Beckie Gumatz, Deputy Clerk
THROUGH: Dean Zuleger, City Administrator
REVIEWED BY: Adam Bell, Assistant City Administrator/City Clerk
SUGGESTED ORDER OF BUSINESS:
- Introduction of Item .............................................................. City Administrator
- Report/Presentation…………………………………………City Administrator
- Questions from Council to Staff ............................................. Mayor Facilitates
- Call for Motion ............................................................... Mayor & City Council
- Discussion ....................................................................... Mayor & City Council
- Action on Motion .................................................................... Mayor Facilitates
POLICY RECOMMENDER: Designation is mandated by state law.
FISCAL IMPACT: None?
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED: The City Council is respectfully requested to designate The Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review as the City’s official newspaper of record for 2014 and to designate the St. Paul Pioneer Press as the alternate official newspaper to be used on an
as needed basis. As part of its consent agenda, no specific motion is required. Should council
choose to remove this item from its consent agenda, the recommended motion for this action is as follows:
“Move to designate the Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review as the official newspaper of record for 2014 and designate the St. Paul Pioneer Press as the back-up official newspaper on an as
needed basis.” LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: Pursuant to Minn. State Statute § 412.831, the City Council is to
select an official newspaper of record for legal publications.
From a financial and timeliness perspective, City Staff has had an effective working relationship with The Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review as its official newspaper for the past few years. The Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review meets all statutory requirements for legal publications, has a reasonable publication schedule/deadline for submission, and its rates for publication are very
competitive.
City Council Meeting [Consent Agenda Item 3]
January 6, 2014
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The St. Paul Pioneer Press has been the back-up legal publication due to its shorter turn-around
for unexpected and time sensitive publication needs. Due to its much quicker publication and vastly greater circulation, the Pioneer Press remains a viable back-up option. The City did not receive a proposal from the Pioneer Press.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION (SWOT): Strengths The Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review has balanced local coverage of Lake Elmo events and news along with a relatively broad distribution in the area. The rates, publication frequency, and due dates all satisfy the City’s legal publication needs the vast majority of the time. The Pioneer Press offers daily publication, but at a much higher price for publications. It
does however have a much broader distribution rate.
Weaknesses The Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review only publishes weekly with a due date of the preceding Friday. The Pioneer Press is more expensive, but it publishes daily with a due date of noon the day before.
Opportunities Planning hearings far enough in advance to avoid having to rely on the daily
publication of the Pioneer Press for notice would save the city money. There is discussion in the
legislature to eliminate the printed newspaper publication rule.
Threats Any substantial price increase would have a negative impact on publishing costs.
RECOMMENDATION: The City Council is respectfully requested to designate The Oakdale-
Lake Elmo Review as the City’s official newspaper of record for 2014 and to designate the St.
Paul Pioneer Press as the alternate official newspaper to be used on an as needed basis. As part of its consent agenda, no specific motion is required. Should council choose to remove this item from its consent agenda, the recommended motion for this action is as follows:
“Move to designate the Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review as the official newspaper of record for
2014 and designate the St. Paul Pioneer Press as the back-up official newspaper on an as
needed basis.”
AUTHORITY:
2012 Minnesota Statutes: § 412.831 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER
“The Council shall, annually at its first meeting of the year, designate a legal newspaper of general circulation in the city as its official newspaper, in which shall be published such ordinances and other matters as are required by law to be so published and such other matters as
the council may deem it advisable and in the public interest to have published in this manner.”
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Proposal from Lillie Suburban Newspapers, Inc (The Oakdale-Lake Elmo Review)