HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.b. City Newsletter/Council Minutes Discussion�. j
CITY OF ROSEMOUNT
EXECUTIVE SIIMM.ARY F'OR ACTION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: JANUAKY 18r 1994
AGENDA SECTZON:
�,GENDA ITEM: NEWSLETTER/COUNCIL MINUTES NEW gUSINESS
DISCUSSION
AGENDA��n� � � �
PREPARED BY: SUSAN WALSH I1li
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
AP OVED BY:
ATTACSMENTS: LETTER FROM DOUG �iEIKKII.aA �
STAFF MEMO
Dou Heikkila of the "Rosemount Town Pages" has requested an
publisher g council in consideration of his newspaper
opportunity to address the citY ,S ��nthly newsletter and city
getting the opportunity to publish the city
c
ouncil minutes. Attached for your review is his letter addressed to the
city council.
o attached for your view is my memorandum dated January 13 , 1993 which
Als I feel the city council should continue its
outlines reasons why
ralationship with the "Rosemount ThisWeek."
sed with the final product of the monthly newsletter and city
I am very plea the staff of the "Rosemount ThisWeek.'" I also
council minutes provided by es'� since
feel the city shouldn't swiha� the�citythas"used thet"Rosemount ThisWeek"
it's only been ten months t
as its communications newspaper. There needs to be some consistency loted
information to the public. �Furthermore��M�•m ansk$400 fora full
providing e ad. I m assuming
a cost of $200 for a half pag
a e. I feel a half page ad would be less attractivoingato alfulltpage
P 9 e; but g
the reader's attention ps much as a full pag the newsletter and more
with a larger size news aper would mean redesigning
staff time.
. Heikkila's bids are lower per column inch for the newsletter
Although Mr oint out that the "Rosemount ThisWeek" is
and the minutes, I would like to p roximately 3600 households in
a nonsubscription newspaper going to app ear and has a
Rosemount; and the "Rosemount Town Pages" cost $10-$12 a Y
distribution to 1200 subscribers.
. ublishing the monthly newsletter and
RECOMMENDED ACTI�N. Continue p
it council minutes in the "Rosemount ThisWeek" (no formal action
a Y
is necessary) .
COIINCIL ACTION:
M E M O
TO: Mayor McMenomy
Councilmembers Anderson, Wippermann, Staats, Busha
FROM: Susan Walsh, Administrative Assistant �
�
DATE: January 13 , 1994
SUBJ: Rosemount Town Pages
Attached for your review is a letter from Doug Heikkila,
Publisher of the "Rosemount Town Pages. " Mr. Heikkila is
requesting that Couneil consider the Town Pages for publication
of the city council minutes and the city's monthly newsletter.
On December 21, 1993, Cauncil took actian to renew its contraet
with ThisWeek Newspapers for the minutes and newsletter to be
published in the "Rosemount ThisWeek" for the calendar year 1994 .
The City Council had initially entered a similar contract with
ThisWeek Newspapers in April, 1993 .
I have had telephone conversations with Doug Heikkila and his
brother, Todd Heikkila, regarding their bid for the minutes and
newsletter. I expressed to them city staff's dissatisfaction
with the past service provided by the staff of the "Farmington
Independent" and the "Rosemount Town Pages" when the °Farmington
Independent" was the city's legal newspaper (Apri1, 1991 to
Apri1, 1993) and when the "Rosemount Town Pages" published the
city's weekly newsletter (April, 1991 thr4ugh October, 1992) .
I also discussed with Doug Heikkila, since he was not involved
with the newspapers at that time, and reiterated to Todd Heikkila
the problems that city staff experienced with their newspaper.
I also informed both of Heikkilas, which was prior to their
sending the attached letter to the Council, that based upon the
problems we had experienced with their newspapers and the poor
service the city received, I could not recommend to the city
council that the city publish a newsletter and its minutes in
their newspaper at this time. I had suggested to them that it
, might be a good idea to see how they do with the legals for a few
mon t hs and then a p proach the city for the minutes and newsletter
business.
Of eourse, both brothers felt I should forget about the past and
' that a lot of problems were because the paper was so new. If I
thought the problems were based on lack of equipment, office
, space or lack of staff, that's one thing; but when most of the
problems existed from paor attitudes and lack of cooperation, I
fail to see how these problems will go away; or at the very
minimum I need to see that the problems no longer exist.
S've listed below some of the problems city staff experienced
when working with Todd Heikkila in the production of the weekly
newsletter, the publishing of the city counr.il minutes and the
I��als:
(1) Items would be included iz� the newsletter that staff d�dn't
want included such as sports standings. Staff would insi.st
they not be published there but they would show up there
anyway,
(2) There were typographical errors on a cansistent basis.
{3) Page layc�ut �.�as do�e p�orly, and it was not attractive.
(4) Wouldn't fc�llow city staff instructions.
(5) City staff provided, at Todd Heikkila's suggestion, camera
ready articles, and he wouldn't use them.
(6) Newspaper staff was not accommodating and uncooperative.
(7) Almost every week there were mistakes in the newsletter.
(8) Minutes were reproduced unattractively and not published the
same week staff provided them to the paper.
{g) Affidavits of publication were not provided on a time�y
basis and were provided in a poor manner,
Therefore, because af my and ather staff's past experiences with
the "Rosemount Town Pages�� and the problems we experienced and
the attitude of not wanting to accommodate and give us the final
product we expected, I cannot recommend that the city enter a
business relationship with "Rosemount Town Pages" at this time.
I also would like to point out that in comparison the staff fram
the "Rosemount ThisWeek" is very cooperative, highly professional
and provides the service we need. I rely on their staff to give
me suggestions an the layout of the newsTetter and to provide an
attractive monthly newsletter. Since April, 1993, this has been
done and with not one problem.
Finally, I would like to advise Council that I also like the idea
af Rosemount having its own newspaper, and I had some mixed
feelings when the city council designated the "Rosemount
� ThisWeek" as its source for communicating with the citizens. But
because of the distribution to all households in Rosemount and
the final product of the published newsletter and minutes, I feel
the City Council's ob jec t i v e o f p r o v i ding goo d communication to
, its citizens is being met. I am a strong proponent of using
local businesses every opportunity I can, but city funds must be
spent wiseTy even if it means using a vendor outside the city.
. , , JAN-12-94 WED 60 : 19 .,,,, P. 02
��,., su�..��C�
To: Iv�ayor and�xty Council
From:Rosemount Tawn Pages �
VVe wonld ]iace to present a bid on the city minutes and ciry newsletter.It is aur understaz►din$
that tJ;ae current contract voted pn by the last couneil can be cancelled an a week's notice.
Th,e pubJisher will be at the meeung to explas.n why we feel we'u�'arrant serious cons'i���flt
to zepresent the city on these bidded proposal:s.Ci.ty stafF Y�as re9uested reasons why
to bid on the rlainutes and newsl.etter.'i'�ree reasons will be listed with this z�equest.
They�can be discussed izx detaz.l, along with o��r reasons at the next councxl meeting• .
1)We car�do the jo6!
Heikkila Publi.carians Inc.is the officiat z�ewspaper af Dakota�ountY,Rasemount,
Farmington,I.S.D. 192 and publishes many other legal notices u+ith a variety of legal firms
and indirriduals.Our association wi.th Dakota Countl'i the City of Famlingtoz��d ISD 192 has '
been far aver five y�ars.W�have proven our abiliry to get��]�b done.
2) Price of Bids:
Minutes-$4.50 per column inch(This Week�$5.63}.M�ntt►ly newsXetter-��2 Page for
$20Q—�3.33 per column ineh{Tltis Week$515--$6•7$ per column inch}. Along with monthly
newsletter bid—will pick up iz�format�vn fro�city staf�,get general outl�.z�e of p�ge,return
proof to city staft of page,receive fi�al approval from st�.ff be�ore print�ng,vir�ua��Y
guaranteeiu�g mistake-free capy. '
3}Sup�ort of a Iocal6usiness by tk�e city.
In,A.pril, 2'he Tawn,Pczges will be a three year ald�ublicaCion,and n.ot�et a pxofitabl�Qne.
This added r�venue will help us imprave our product(I.E.added staf�az�d cash�.ow.This is .
the newest publica�ion in Dakota County.The�'arnzin�ton IndependettC(w�ich we own) is the
second newest at 14 years.Max+y pa�ers in the county have been puhlisk�ing 'zn excess of 100
yeaxs.We want this newspaper to have that legacy in 1Q0 years. Covez7ng tha hlstory of thxs
city. -
More xn the here and now,we�eel we are nearr mal�ing thus newspaper an award winning
publication.Along with this letter is a copy of a letter congratulaung The Farmingson
Inde,�endent on an award won in I993, �
We feel that thc added revez�ue, and a commisment Frorn the city to work vaith the newspaper,
wi�.accelerate the z�,oveme�nt of tlai.s newspaper in that ctirection.
Zt wauld be great that revenue generated by Rosemount's cidr.�ns would go toward a yo�ing
k2os�maunt bus�ness,and not to az�office i.n BurzLsville. ,
� Th�nk you,
�-n �����
Doug�i�%.kkila,
Publisher
A����lA�IV1\ rtVo'n �-+ . '
,� �RESS y
''?'
LindaI.Pallcman,E�ecutive Dfrector �r,t�, .�.0� �
$arbarsTrebisovsky,Assistant Ezec� :ve Director ' I��7 °
NovennbeX 39, 1993
I3oug HeikkaJ.a
�arr�wlgton S�adependent
PO Box 192
Par�r��.ngton, MN SSC�2� �
.. ,_ . I7eat�I�ug. .._ _-------._�_. -- -.__.. �-- . . .: .. , _._._.. — .
�ongratulations! �
Xot� �re a'W�'�iNE�.2, i.xa MNA's Better Newspa�er Cozates�
It's not possible far n�ae ta tell you whdch award y�u have won. Xau will�ave to wait until
Thursday,Jazxuazy 27 when you axxi.�e at the co�►v�ntion.
�le plan to kee� the wixx7aaers a secret unta.l tkze canvention,but you'�l get t�ze printed list af winners
when you piek up y�ur regists�.ti4n rnaterials.'�'b�award wi�ning�z�tries wi�l b�dispZayed in tk�e
Trade Show axea. Please note t:�at yotyr nam��r�.d z��wspa�a�r natne witl.appear on your plaque or
c�rtifi.cate as showr� �bove. If anything xs ia�cv.rrect,not.ify Barba�a at Cenbral t'Jffice
�mmediately.
If you caz�not b�at the awaxds br�akfast cez�emony on Saturda.y, (January 29 at 8 a.�,}would you
let us lmow? If it is not�ossib�e to b�there,wouZd you mab.e arrangements fa�'somebod�else
frarn your newspaper to pxck up rhe award? (J£yot��ar someone fram yaur news�aper will he
�res�nt at the awards ceremony,there's no need to norify us.)
Cangrat�J:a.t�onsl We're loo�C�ng f�arward t�seeitxg you at the conventio�.
�.P..St lt'.g�S, . a
� � . � ' '• _.
�i���4���
Linda I.�'alk�z�a�tl •
�xecurive I�irector
.L�.F�KJW
12 S4uth Sia�th Street,Mi�n�aeapol�s,Minnesota 5540z (612a 332-8844 Fax: (612) 342-2958
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