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Council discusses police-levy outreach: signs favored over an extra mailer
Summary
City Manager and councilmembers debated yard signs, the newsletter and a possible water-bill insert to promote a May police levy; council indicated budgeted funds are available for signs and staff will get pricing.
City Manager Kitzko told the City Council that the administration has budgeted and appropriated funds to buy yard signs and asked how many signs council members wanted for an upcoming police-levy outreach effort.
"We already put out the newsletter, which on the front page was a lot of the levy information," Kitzko said. He said the city is authorized to buy signs and could also consider a mailer or a water-bill insert, and that staff would check scheduling with the third-party vendor that prints the bills.
Councilman Lindsay said he led the last police-levy effort and recalled distributing about 100 signs; he said he had paid for a mailer previously at his own expense. "I put a hundred signs out, and then I, I think I did a mailer, a flyer that I mailed out. I did that at my expense," Lindsay said. He told council that 100 signs would be insufficient and suggested more signs would help.
Other councilmembers said the city newsletter — which staff said went out April 3 — should carry levy information on the front page and could reduce the need for a separate postcard mailer. Staff estimated a postcard-style mailer would cost roughly 60 cents each and that a mailing of about 3,000 pieces would be expected if chosen; signs could range in price depending on design and pickup options.
Kitzko said he would get pricing for 50 to 100 yard signs, check whether the next water bill could carry a short message and report back to council before the April 21 meeting. He noted the city budgeted funds for election-purpose outreach and would provide cost and timing details to council members prior to final decisions.
Why it matters The council’s decisions about outreach methods affect how the police-levy question is publicized before the ballot. The council said it has at least some budget authority for signs and that staff will return with concrete pricing and schedule information.
What’s next Staff will obtain quotes for yard signs, confirm whether a short message can be included on the water bill, and return with a recommendation to council ahead of the April 21 meeting.
