Well Tuesday night on the agenda is a visit from Lisa S regarding the Crowsnest Herald.
Later in the month the new council will decide which paper to give the advertising to for 2011.
Or will they abandon the tendering practice that as reduced the cost of advertising considerably????
Be real interesting to see where the new council members sit on this issue, especially the ones that spoke about sound fiscal management.
Last numbers I had available 2008 total advertising was right around $90,000, (last year of advertising in both papers) this year we were on track for less than $30,000 by year end.
Keep in mind each $64,000 is equivalent to 1% of our property taxes.
The smart answer here is to keep saving the taxpayers 1% on there taxes every year, council should take the lowest bid.
Did you know before we tendered the advertising the municipality was paying between $7-800 per page, now we are paying less than $200 per page.
Amazing what a little healthy competition does.
11 comments:
Dean,
As I have said before, neither paper serves this community well but the one under the Syguatacks is a pox on us all. For example, since the end of the election I have a stack of comments from her and her gang that I could not print because they were so vile and disgusting and so full of hate as to make one wonder if there is any bottom to the depths of their cowardice and moral depravity. I'm sure you can relate, can't you?
In my opinion, the lowest price should not be the determining factor here but rather the decision should be based on the lesser of two evils to our community, which in this case would be the Promoter.
The upcoming vote on this issue will be a bell weather test in telling us a lot on what we can expect in the future from this council. Will it be 4-3?... more deja vu all over again.
Dean, I would think that this falls into the 'no-brainer' category for the new council. Any savings to the taxpayer is a plus in my mind. I wish my town council could understand the concept. I am surprised though at the difference between the two papers. Take care.
It isn't just about saving money. It's also about communicating with the public. Maybe lack of communication is one of the reasons the previous council was not reelected.
So having the municipal ads for bylaws, rezoning, looking for volunters, etc in more than one paper.
Means something to the average person on the street.
I'm always reminded what about the people that buy one paper but not the other?
What about the people that buy neither? should we advertise in the Prairie Post?
I had a boss once that told me if you expand most problems you will find your answer.So instead of 2 papers what if we had 10, or 100, 0r....Would we advertise in them all?
Its a no brainer, one paper is enough.Let free enterprise rule, so whereever you get the most bang for your buck.But we have a new council, I guess we will know what kind of group we have very soon.I am hoping for a very solid 7 to leave things as they are, on this issue.
So why bother advertising at all? If it's just about cutting costs and all, why not get rid of the expense altogether?
Dean
Are you telling me that to advertise in both papers it could cost us $200K over the next three years extra.
If that is the case put it out for tender let it go to the cheapest bid tell the public who gets the tender if they want to read about the municipal issues they will buy that paper.
The paper that does not win this time can under bid the next time.
$200k over the next three years that will fill every pot hole in Bellevue.
Larry K
There is a requirement under the Municipal Government Act of Alberta that certain things a municipality does have to be advertised. There is no requirement that they have to be advertised in more than one paper.
There is no question that the municipality needs to have a channel to communicate with the public.
The issue here is this municipality as a limited tax base, we have facilities that are very old, have not had a lot of dollars put in to them, take a look at our equipment fleet.
Our former Mayor used to make the wise crack "most of our equipment is newer than what I have in my driveway"
It really comes down to does council want to spend that money over the next three years on advertising, or are there other priorities that should be taken care of
Where do I get a copy of the Municipal Government Act, and which section refers to advertising?
Available at the following address
http://www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?page=m26.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=9780779751129&display=html
Requirements for advertising
606(1) The requirements of this section apply when this or another enactment requires a bylaw, resolution, meeting, public hearing or something else to be advertised by a municipality, unless this or another enactment specifies otherwise.
(2) Notice of the bylaw, resolution, meeting, public hearing or other thing must be
(a) published at least once a week for 2 consecutive weeks in at least one newspaper or other publication circulating in the area to which the proposed bylaw, resolution or other thing relates, or in which the meeting or hearing is to be held, or
(b) mailed or delivered to every residence in the area to which the proposed bylaw, resolution or other thing relates, or in which the meeting or hearing is to be held.
(3) A notice of a proposed bylaw must be advertised under subsection (2) before second reading.
(4) A notice of a proposed resolution must be advertised under subsection (2) before it is voted on by council.
(5) A notice of a meeting, public hearing or other thing must be advertised under subsection (2) at least 5 days before the meeting, public hearing or thing occurs.
(6) A notice must contain
(a) a statement of the general purpose of the proposed bylaw, resolution, meeting, public hearing or other thing,
(b) the address where a copy of the proposed bylaw, resolution or other thing, and any document relating to it or to the meeting or public hearing may be inspected,
(c) in the case of a bylaw or resolution, an outline of the procedure to be followed by anyone wishing to file a petition in respect of it, and
(d) in the case of a meeting or public hearing, the date, time and place where it will be held.
(7) A certificate of a designated officer certifying that something has been advertised in accordance with this section is proof, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, of the matters set out in the certificate.
(8) The certificate is admissible in evidence without proof of the appointment or signature of the person who signed the certificate.
Hope that helps
Dean
Yes it helps. Transparency always does. I get more objective and factual info from this blog then any media outlet. Keep it up.
... maybe the muni should advertise here, you may have more followers then the weaklys, (mispelling intentional, lol)
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