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DOVER —
By all indications, a Dover City Council of the Whole Committee meeting Monday night was quite successful in weighing the pros and cons of whether the city should consider making any changes to its Public Notice Placement Program.
The city does all of its legal advertising through The Times-Reporter, a daily publication, with annual expenditures ranging from $8,063 to $17,259 during the last 10 years. The T-R charges a standard rate of $15.50 per column inch.
At issue is a proposal by The Bargain Hunter, a weekly publication, to publish the city’s legal notices at a rate of $7.18 per column inch, if presented in an electronic format, or $10.33 per column inch if it has to be typed.
Council President Tim Tarulli assigned the issue to the committee two weeks ago, with Councilman Don Maurer, Finance Committee chairman, in charge.
Representatives of both publications initially addressed council by first answering a list of questions prepared by Law Director Doug O’Meara, then responding to questions from council members, members of the administration and the public.
Zach Ahrens, vice president of sales for GateHouse Ohio Media, which includes The Times-Reporter, spoke on behalf of The Times-Reporter, headquartered in New Philadelphia.
Michael Mast, president of Graphic Publications of Millersburg, spoke on behalf of The Bargain Hunter, Tuscarawas County edition.
Both men explained how their respective publications meet necessary requirements that would allow the city to use either one for its legal advertising. Both also said that all of their respective legal advertisements are available online.
Afterward, O’Meara said everything he heard during the meeting indicates that both publications meet the criteria, “so council or the city could split their advertising.” But he said he would be very surprised if council didn’t continue doing council advertisements through one publication, whether or not other offices in the city — which also advertise — would choose to do something else.
O’Meara said he doesn’t believe any legislation is necessary to choose one or the other, unless council tells him it wants something. He added that there is no requirement for an ordinance to authorize an expenditure less than $50,000 “as long as it’s in the budget, and these monies have always been in the budget — and they’re well under $50,000.”
Maurer said the presentations given Monday night “exceeded my expectations.” He said both representatives were respectful to each other and both answered all of the questions in great detail.
“You had to be impressed with both,” Maurer said. “They were well spoken, and it was said they are two different types of publications, and I think that has to be recognized,” he added.
Mayor Richard Homrighausen said both entities “brought good points to the table, and it sounds like there would be a use for both papers to fit the city’s needs on down the road.”
By all indications, a Dover City Council of the Whole Committee meeting Monday night was quite successful in weighing the pros and cons of whether the city should consider making any changes to its Public Notice Placement Program.
The city does all of its legal advertising through The Times-Reporter, a daily publication, with annual expenditures ranging from $8,063 to $17,259 during the last 10 years. The T-R charges a standard rate of $15.50 per column inch.
At issue is a proposal by The Bargain Hunter, a weekly publication, to publish the city’s legal notices at a rate of $7.18 per column inch, if presented in an electronic format, or $10.33 per column inch if it has to be typed.
Council President Tim Tarulli assigned the issue to the committee two weeks ago, with Councilman Don Maurer, Finance Committee chairman, in charge.
Representatives of both publications initially addressed council by first answering a list of questions prepared by Law Director Doug O’Meara, then responding to questions from council members, members of the administration and the public.
Zach Ahrens, vice president of sales for GateHouse Ohio Media, which includes The Times-Reporter, spoke on behalf of The Times-Reporter, headquartered in New Philadelphia.
Michael Mast, president of Graphic Publications of Millersburg, spoke on behalf of The Bargain Hunter, Tuscarawas County edition.
Both men explained how their respective publications meet necessary requirements that would allow the city to use either one for its legal advertising. Both also said that all of their respective legal advertisements are available online.
Afterward, O’Meara said everything he heard during the meeting indicates that both publications meet the criteria, “so council or the city could split their advertising.” But he said he would be very surprised if council didn’t continue doing council advertisements through one publication, whether or not other offices in the city — which also advertise — would choose to do something else.
O’Meara said he doesn’t believe any legislation is necessary to choose one or the other, unless council tells him it wants something. He added that there is no requirement for an ordinance to authorize an expenditure less than $50,000 “as long as it’s in the budget, and these monies have always been in the budget — and they’re well under $50,000.”
Maurer said the presentations given Monday night “exceeded my expectations.” He said both representatives were respectful to each other and both answered all of the questions in great detail.
“You had to be impressed with both,” Maurer said. “They were well spoken, and it was said they are two different types of publications, and I think that has to be recognized,” he added.
Mayor Richard Homrighausen said both entities “brought good points to the table, and it sounds like there would be a use for both papers to fit the city’s needs on down the road.”
