HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-02-2007 Memo on Mounds View Matters Memo to Charter Commission re Printing and Delivery
City of Mounds View Memo
To: Mounds View Charter Commission
From: Desaree Crane, Assistant to the City Administrator
CC: Mounds View City Council
Kurt Ulrich, City Administrator
Dan Weldon, MVCC Director
Scott Riggs, Mounds View City Attorney
Item Title/Subject: Mounds View Matters Newsletter
Date of Report: May 2, 2007
Staff was directed by the Mounds View Charter Commission Chair to write a summary
to the Charter Commission in regard to the publication and delivery of the Mounds View
Matters. In accordance with the City Charter, the City of Mounds View publishes the
Mounds View Matters newsletter six times a year. This newsletter is divided into two
sections, City information and the Mounds View Community Center (YMCA). The City
currently prints 5,600 copies of this newsletter during non-school year months and
6,500 during the school session months. These newsletters are delivered to the
citizens of Mounds View, as well as some surrounding communities. Approximately
5,387 are delivered to residents, 260 to surrounding communities, and the rest are
delivered are school in Mounds View (school months only).
In 2006, the City paid $14, 089.15 in printing costs for the newsletter. Below is a
breakdown.
ISSUE NUMBER OF ISSUES COST
Jan/Feb 2006 6,500 $2,498.00
Mar/Apr 2006 6,500 $2,088.00
May/Jun 2006 5,600 $2,208.00
Jul/Aug 2006 5,600 $2,194.74
Sep/Nov 2006 6,500 $2,405.91
Nov/Dec 2006 6,500 $2,694.50
Staff spends between 12 to 16 hours publishing this newsletter. As a result, the city is
paying anywhere from $504.00 to $672.00 in staff time alone, per issue. In addition to
publishing and staff time, the City also pays for delivery by Independent Delivery
Service, with a cost $364.28 per issue. Therefore, the cost of publishing the newsletter
could be as high as $20,206.83 a year.
For delivery of the newsletter, the City is presently “piggy backing” with the Focus by
using their delivery service, Independent Delivery Service. This means wherever the
Focus is delivered so is the Mounds View Matters Newsletter. The YMCA (Mounds
View Community Center) also mails 260 additional newsletters to surrounding
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communities, four times a year. The funds for delivering these additional 260
newsletters come out of the Mounds View Community Center Budget (YMCA). The
MVCC also delivers newsletters to area Mounds View Schools during the school year.
Issues for Consideration
1. Size and cost of printing the MVM. As you are aware, the MVM can be a
rather large publication, due mostly to the size of the YMCA’s contribution. In
some cities, such as Blaine, newsletters are only a couple pages in length. Staff
always strives to conserve space in the newsletter without compromising the
readability.
Many cities only publish their newsletters on a seasonal basis. Staff feels that by
reducing the publication of the newsletter to a seasonal or quarterly basis would
reduce the cost of printing, publication and staff time.
2. Delivery of the MVM Although Independent Delivery Service has stated that
they deliver to all residents except those who have asked not to receive the
MVM, staff receives numerous complaints from residents who should be
receiving the MVM but are not. When a resident calls to complain that they have
not received the latest issue, a copy is mailed to them and/or a call is placed to
Independent Delivery Service.
The fact that some residents are not receiving the MVM may be due in part to the
fact that the MVM is bundled with the Focus News for delivery. Staff has
requested from the Focus a map that shows exactly where the papers are
delivered but the Focus has declined to respond, referring staff to Independent
Delivery Service. As mentioned above, Independent Delivery service has stated
that they deliver to all homes except those who have refused deliveries. Staff is
currently looking into other ways of delivery to include the US Postal Service.
The only way that Staff feels would guarantee delivery of this newsletter is by first
pre-sorted mail. Staff did contact another delivery service that “piggy backs” with
the Mounds View/new Brighton Bulletin and was told that they did not deliver to
Mobile Home Parks nor did they deliver to apartment complexes.
Staff has contacted the Mounds View Community Center/YMCA, and they stated
that publishing/delivery of the Mounds View Matters every quarter will suffice the
requirements of the YMCA as long as City Staff can give them enough time to
transition to a quarterly basis.
In order to change the present policy for printing and delivery, the Mounds View City
Charter and City Staff would have to start the process of revising the City Charter by
Ordinance approval. Staff would like to start this process as soon as possible, and
would like to publish the newsletter on a quarterly basis as early as the beginning of
next year.
Respectfully submitted,
Desaree M. Crane