Clarkston officials are considering publishing public notices in an out-of-town newspaper.
City Manager Carol Eberhardt told city council, March 10, The Oakland Press was interested in publishing legal notices for the city.
‘I will tell you they want our business and are preparing a contract for us,? she said.
Eberhardt said The Oakland Press has a wider circulation than The Clarkston News and the city could shorten public notices to a few sentences to help curb costs.
According to City Charter, public notices must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city. Michigan law also states that information relating to city council meetings and other legal notices must be published in a newspaper of the city.
A yearly subscription to The Clarkston News is $32 while a subscription to The Oakland Press is $340. In addition, over half of all households in the city subscribe to CNews. Residents can also buy a copy at many local businesses or come into the downtown office and buy one.
Eberhardt said the city had to use The Oakland Press to publish notice for a Board of Review hearing, which is required to be published 10 days before it happens. The city published another notice in The Oakland Press.
Council woman Sharon Cattallo said using The Oakland Press in a pinch is nothing unusual and makes sense.
She added having two publications, The Clarkston News and The Oakland Press, available to publish legal notices was decided on long ago because one is a weekly and the other, a daily.
Sometimes when the city is faced with a time constraint issue they must be able to publish a notice quickly, she pointed out.
Councilwoman Peg Roth said she wanted to make sure the city was not ceasing to use The Clarkston News as the main source to publish notices.
‘We should favor local businesses over larger publication,? said Roth, adding The Clarkston News is a local business.