Agenda Packets - 2013/01/14 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item No: 07C Meeting Date: January 14, 2013 Type of Business: CB Administrator Review : ____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Desaree Crane, Assistant City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Resolution 8043, Selection of the City’s Official Newspaper Background: In accordance with Minnesota Statutes 412.831, it requires the City Council to also annually designate a legal newspaper of general circulation in the City as its official newspaper. According to my City Council staff report at the January 7, 2013, Special City Council Meeting, Staff needed to conduct research on the circulation coverage of the Sun Focus, Mounds View/New Brighton Bulletin and Pioneer Press newspapers. Staff has received several complaints that many residents are not receiving the City’s current official newspaper, The Sun Focus. Discussion: The Sun Focus, The Bulletin, and the Shoreview Press have each submitted proposals to be the City’s official newspaper for 2013 (proposal letters attached). The Council selected the Sun Focus as the City’s primary newspaper last year. All newspapers accept legal notices via e-mail. The City selected the Sun Focus as the City’s official newspaper in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. The City Council expressed interest in selecting the Sun Focus as the City’s official newspaper due to the better news coverage that the Sun Focus provides on City matters. In regard to circulation in Mounds View, The Sun Focus delivers their newspaper to 3,439 households and The Bulletin delivers to 3,300 households. The Shoreview Press indicated to Staff that circulation in Mounds View is “minimal.” Pioneer Press did not get back to the City on their Mounds View newspaper circulation. Last year and in years previous the Council selected the St. Paul Pioneer Press as the City’s secondary newspaper. The Pioneer Press placed a bid to the City at $4.60 for each line (one line = 25 characters) plus a $1 Mobile Access Fee. Since the Pioneer Press is a daily newspaper, it would certainly be acceptable for the Council to select the Pioneer Press as the City’s secondary newspaper.