The Houston County Board meeting held on January 7, 2024, focused primarily on the appointment of official newspapers for the year 2025. The meeting began with the opening of sealed bids from two newspapers that submitted proposals before the December 31 deadline.

The first bid reviewed was from the Caledonia Argus. The proposal outlined a charge of $3 per inch for publishing the official proceedings of the county board and all legally required notices. This rate also applied to miscellaneous notices, sample ballot information, and delinquent tax lists, all of which would be published at the same rate.

The second bid came from the Fillmore County Journal, which proposed a significantly higher charge of $7 per inch for similar services. This included the publication of official proceedings, miscellaneous notices, sample ballot information, tax forfeiture information, and delinquent tax lists.

The board will need to consider these bids carefully, weighing the cost differences and the implications for county communications. The meeting concluded without any immediate decisions, indicating that further discussions may be necessary before finalizing the appointment of the official newspaper for the upcoming year.