Report Prepared by: John Tresidder, Assistant City Clerk, City Clerk’s Office
Title
SUBJECT: Approval of 3 Year Agreement With Merced County Times (Mid Valley Publications) to Provide the City of Merced Legal Advertising Services
REPORT IN BRIEF
Awards an agreement for publishing legal notices to the Merced County Times (Mid Valley Publications).
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion approving an agreement with the Merced County Times (Mid Valley Publications) to provide the City of Merced legal advertising services.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Award bid as recommended by staff; or,
2. Refer to staff for further study; or,
3. Take no action.
AUTHORITY
Merced City Charter, Article IV-City Council, Section 419-Publishing of Legal Notices.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2019-20 Proposed Budget.
DISCUSSION
Both the Merced Sun-Star and the Merced County Times have been adjudicated by the Merced Superior Court to be newspapers of general circulation as defined in Section 6000 of the Government Code, and therefore meet the requirements for legal advertising in Merced. The preference for legal notice advertising services in Fiscal Year 2016/2017 was awarded to the Merced County Times.
Section 419 of the Merced Municipal Code states that at least once every three (3) years, a request for proposal shall be sent out for the publication of all legal notices.
The City Clerk’s Office solicited bids for advertising services from both the Merced Sun Star and the Merced County Times. Both publications expressed interest but only the Merced County Times submitted a proposal by the deadline. The rates set by the Merced County Times are as follows:
Legal Advertising Rates:
|
Merced County Times |
Merced Sun-Star |
|
Per line rate ………$ 0.355/line |
Per line rate ……….N/A |
|
Column Width …..1.632” |
Column Width……N/A |
Difference between Quotes
Per line rate ……….N/A
Government Code regulates the determination if a legal notice is required to be posted once or multiple times. Staff recommends awarding preference to the Merced County Times as no other proposals were received. The City of Merced has contracted with the Merced County Times in the past and has received excellent service. Legal advertising with the Merced County Times will commence in July at the beginning of the 2019/2020 Fiscal Year.
Since there is no legal requirement limiting the City to a single publication for classified and display advertising, it is recommended that the City continue to select the newspaper of its choice for classified and display advertising, such as employment opportunities, Spring Cleanup, housing plan notices, City board/commission vacancies, etc. On many occasions the City has a need to advertise in both of these publications, as well as others, to meet the needs of the City in these areas.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Request for Proposal
2. Merced County Times Proposal
3. Agreement