DEPARTMENT: Office of the County Manager
FILE TYPE: Consent Information
TITLE
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Official County Newspaper And Public Notices
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Update on the official County newspaper and printing of legal notices through the year 2023.
SUMMARY
The Dakota County Board of Commissioners are required by Minn. Stat. § 375.12 to advertise for bids for County legal printing and award of bid at the first board meeting of the year. Minn. Stat. § 331A.06 authorizes the County to award the printing contract for a term up to three years.
Bids were received for the printing of County legal notices for 2021 through 2023 on November 18, 2020. The bids were based upon the formula used in bid specifications recommended by Minnesota Newspaper Association’s Legal Counsel to determine the lowest cost per lower case alphabet or cost per column inch. Each bidding newspaper must indicate that they meet the requirements for a legal newspaper found in Minn. Stat. § 331A.02. One bid was received from Dakota County Tribune.
The Dakota County Tribune was awarded the contract as the official newspaper for three years, 2021 through 2023, for printing of County legal notices per its bid of $8.45 cost per column inch. Dakota County Tribune was also awarded the contract for three years to print the notice and published list of real estate remaining delinquent on the first Monday of January each year and as the First Publication of the County’s Financial Statement. Dakota County Tribune was awarded a contract for three years to publish the Second Publication of the County’s Financial Statement.
2022 average weekly print circulation was 4,785. Dakota County notices are posted on the Sun Thisweek website. www.sunthisweek.com <http://www.sunthisweek.com> received roughly 27,000 visitors per week in 2022.
Publication of the County’s financial statements and County Commissioner compensation must also be published in a second publication. The second insertion and second statements will be published by Dakota County Tribune’s related publication, Sun Thisweek.
Since these contracts continue until December 31, 2023, there is no change in the County’s official newspaper or the second newspaper for first publication of the County’s financial statement.
Beginning in 2019, the County Board authorized the publication solicitations of transportation projects on the County website, pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 331A.12.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
None. Information only.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
☒ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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Information only, no action requested.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
21-018; 1/5/21
17-020; 1/3/17
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: None.
BOARD GOALS
☐ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☒ Excellence in Public Service
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LEVEL
☐ Inform and Listen ☐ Discuss ☐ Involve ☒ N/A
CONTACT
Department Head: Matt Smith
Author: Jeni Reynolds