HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Operations - 01/16/2007 KEN T
W A S H I N O T O N
OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MINUTES
JANUARY 16, 2007
Committee Members Present: Tim Clark, Chair, Deborah Ranniger and Debbie Raplee
The meeting was called to order by Tim Clark, Chair at 4:02 p.m.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES DATED DECEMBER 5, 2006
Deborah Ranniger moved to approve the minutes of the December 5, 2006, Operation
Committee meeting. Debbie Raplee seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
2. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS DATED DECEMBER 15 2006 AND DECEMBER 31
2006
Finance Director Bob Nachlinger presented the vouchers dated December 15, 2006, and
December 31, 2006 for approval.
Debbie Raplee moved to approve the vouchers dated December 15, 2006, and
December 31, 2006. Deborah Ranniger seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
3. OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF KENT
City Attorney Tom Brubaker presented the resolution which would designate The Seattle Times as
the official newspaper for the City of Kent. Mr. Brubaker advised that a number of years ago the
City of Kent and designated the Daily News Journal, now known as the King County Journal, as
the city's official newspaper. However, the owners of the King County Journal announced they
will discontinue the newspaper's publication as of January 21, 2007. RCW 35A.21.230 requires
each code city to designate by resolution an official newspaper of general circulation within the
city.
In order to reach the widest audience, staff recommends The Seattle Times as the city's official
newspaper. Although this resolution designates The Seattle Times as the city's official newspaper,
it specifically reserves the city's right to use other newspapers of general circulation, in place of
or in addition to The Seattle Times, as the city deems appropriate and as authorized by law. A
number of other cities were contacted and advised that with the closing of the King County
Journal they were switching to The Seattle Times, which is best positioned to provide the level of
notice needed for the citizens of Kent. Consideration of the Kent Reporter was made however, it
only publishes twice a week and some of the city's notices are time sensitive so the city cannot
rely on the Kent Reporter to publish on the dates needed for many notices. Sometimes for city
construction work bids are published in the Daily Journal of Commerce so that right must be
reserved. However, this may not work for the city's regular circulation because the Daily Journal
of Commerce is primarily a business newspaper and residents don't typically subscribe. Another
consideration is the Tacoma News Tribune. However, it is a primarily a Tacoma area paper and
though they report on South King County news issues, they only have approximately 400
subscribers within the City of Kent. Therefore, it was determined that even though it is more
expensive, The Seattle Times would be the best choice. If, after time, coverage for the South
King County news is competitive with the remaining newspapers and it is determined that
another paper would be a better choice, the city can re-designate.
Operations Committee Minutes
January 16, 2007
Page: 2
Questions and comments were discussed between the Committee and Mr. Brubaker. It was
determined that the Kent Reporter will be used whenever it can and, if the Committee would like
to switch to the Kent Reporter as the official newspaper, that change can be made before
tonight's Council meeting. Mr. Brubaker advised that this resolution is currently set for Council's
consideration on Consent Calendar tonight in order to re-designate the city's official newspaper
before the King County Journal closes. Mr. Brubaker stated that should the resolution not be
recommended by the committee, it be pulled from the Consent Calendar and placed on Other
Business. Committee members stated that they would prefer, if possible, to designate the Kent
Reporter as the city's official newspaper and if it is determined that an official newspaper has to
be a daily publication newspaper, than the motion would need to be amended to allow the city to
revisit this issue and choose either the Tacoma News Tribune, The Seattle Times, Daily Journal of
Commerce, or the Seattle Post Intelligence, and not just default to The Seattle Times.
Deborah Ranniger then moved to recommend adoption of a resolution designating the
Kent Reporter as the official newspaper on the condition that if the law prohibits the
city from designating a non daily newspaper, then the City Council will have the choice
of designating the Tacoma News Tribune, The Seattle Times, Daily Journal of
Commerce, or The Seattle Post-Intelligence as its official newspapers and that this
agenda item be placed on Other Business for the January 16, 2007, City Council
meeting. Debbie Raplee seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:34 p.m.
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Teri Petrole
Acting Operations Committee Secretary