HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.a. City Newsletter / Newspaper UpdateCITY OF ROSEMOUNT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ACTION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: December 18, 1990
AGENDA ITEM:
AGENDA SECTION:
Rosemount City Newspaper / Newsletter
Old Business
PERTracieEPeBhonick,
AGEN TEM 50; A
E.D.
Specialist
ATTACHMENTS: Overview
of Rosemount
APPROVED Bi-:�J�
Newspaper / Newsletter
Options
,
As directed by the Mayor and City Council, staff has researched various
options to determine the best manner in which to provide City of Rosemount
information to the general Rosemount public. The alternatives which were
explored include: 1) continue producing the current Rosemount City
Newsletter; 2) purchase a page from one of the established Rosemount area
newspapers for Rosemount City news (Thisweek or Countryside); and 3)
purchase a page from the proposed Rosemount newspaper for Rosemount City
news.
Attached for your information are the positive and negative factors
associated with each of these three choices as well as some general
information.
Staff respectfully advises that in making a decision as to which
alternative will best suit the needs of the City of Rosemount and the
citizens of Rosemount, Council should take into account the frequency at
which they wish the City of Rosemount page to be published and the staff
time and dedication which said frequency will require. Staff does not have
a recommendation regarding which option to pursue at this time and would
appreciate input from the City Council in that regard.
Thank you.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: None at this time.
COUNCIL ACTION:
None.
TO:
'�)?eify of
osernount
P O BOX 510
2875 -145TH ST. W
ROSEMOUNT. MINNESOTA 55068
612-423-4411
MAYOR NAPPER
COUNCIL MEMBERS RLASSEN, OXBOROUGH, WILLCOX, WIPPERMANN
STEPHAN JILK, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
FROM: TRACIE PECHONICR, E.D. SPECIALIST
DATE: DECEMBER 5, 1990
SUBJ: ROSEMOUNT NEWSPAPER / NEWSLETTER OPTIONS
Each of the following options were reviewed by: A) costs of
production and distribution; B) circulation count and method; C)
production frequency; and D) City staff time involved.
ROSEMOUNT CITY NEWSLETTER
CONTACT: Kent Wolkow, Walker Enterprises
COST: Quarterly = $20,000 / year
Monthly = $30,000 / year
CIRCULATION: All Rosemount households
PRODUCTION: Quarterly at this time
Advantages
1. Information on City issues and events is provided to Rosemount
citizens
2. Quarterly production schedule keeps staff time involvement at
a minimum
3. City staff does not have to format or edit articles for the
newsletter
4. No advertising is involved
5. Delivery by mail insures that every household gets a copy
Disadvantages
1. Production frequency is not sufficient; information tends to
be outdated or lacking in detail
2. Cost is rather high for a quarterly publication
3. Production period for each newsletter (approximately one month)
is much too drawn out
1
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
CONTACT: Debbie Gamboni, Sales
COST: $452.16 / page
Quarterly = $ 1,808.64 / year
Monthly = 5,425.92 / year
Weekly = 23,512.32 / year
CIRCULATION: All Rosemount households
PRODUCTION: Weekly ( information due on
Tuesday/Wednesday; paper delivered on
Saturday/Sunday)
Advantages
1. Information on city issues and events is provided to Rosemount
citizens
2. Readership is already established
3. Thisweek staff would assist in setting up a format in which the
City could plug articles on a consistent basis; therefore, City
would not have to format or edit articles before submission
4. Advertising to take up space on the City page would be
acceptable if sold by the Thisweek staff
5. Advertisers are already established
Disadvantages
1. Staff time would increase relative to the frequency of
publication of City of Rosemount page
2. Advertising cannot be sold for the City page in order to offset
City costs
3. As papers are delivered by carrier, we cannot be sure that the
paper will reach every household
4. News within the paper is not exclusively about Rosemount
5. Absolute lowest price that can be obtained is $452.16 per page
6. People would have to become accustomed to looking for the City
of Rosemount page
COUNTRYSIDE
CONTACT: Circulation Desk
CIRCULATION: * 2,498 households in the Rosemount area
including Valley Park
PRODUCTION: Weekly
* Staff researched this option no further as the circulation
numbers do not provide for every Rosemount household to receive a
copy.
2
ROSEMOUNT NEWSPAPER (proposed)
CONTACT: Todd Haikkila, Owner/Editor
COST: $26,000 / year
CIRCULATION: All Rosemount households
PRODUCTION: Weekly (news due on Wednesday; paper
delivered on Friday)
Advantages
1. Information on City issues and events is provided to Rosemount
citizens
2. Paper would be mailed to insure delivery to every Rosemount
household
3. All news within the paper would pertain directly to Rosemount
4. City of Rosemount would not have to fill the entire page; Mr.
Haikkila would fill what the City could not
5. City can sell a portion (1/4) of the page for ads to offset
City costs
6. city staff would not have to format or edit articles before
submission to the Rosemount newspaper
Disadvantages
1. Readership of such a publication is not yet established
2. Staff time would increase relative to the frequency of
publication of the City of Rosemount page
3. City would have to pay $26,000 regardless of how often
the City page appears within the Rosemount paper.
4. Advertisers for such a publication are not yet established
3