Committee seeks city attorney guidance on where to publish official notices after 'Pulse' discontinued

Communications staff told the committee the city’s monthly printed publication known as the Pulse is no longer available and that staff is consulting the city attorney to confirm the legal requirements for publishing official notices. Michelle (communications staff) said she is “collaborating and speaking with our city attorney to just ensure that we are covering all of our bases in terms of legality of where we need to publish.”

Why this matters: Statutory publication requirements govern legal notices and public hearings; choosing an inappropriate publication could risk missing statutory deadlines for items such as elections or bond notices.

Michelle told the committee the Webster‑Kirkwood Times has offered to distribute papers in the city lobby, and that the county publication is an option; committee members noted St. Louis County’s publication operates daily while the Pulse had been monthly. Michelle said the city previously used the Post‑Dispatch but stopped because it was cost prohibitive. The committee agreed staff should confirm with the city attorney and return with a plan in time to meet upcoming election and public hearing schedules.

Staff said supplemental posting options that have been used in past years include posting at the community center, city hall and on the city website; committee members emphasized the need to ensure the chosen method meets state statute deadlines for public hearings and elections. The committee did not take a formal vote; staff said they will meet the city attorney and confirm a compliant publication strategy before January.

Ending: Staff will consult the city attorney and report back with a recommended publication option and timeline to ensure legal notices comply with state statute and upcoming election schedules.