The Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted Jan. 2 to name the Cedar Rapids Gazette the county's third official newspaper after a contest over which publication qualifies under Iowa Code 349.6.

The decision followed staff presentations about the statutory criteria and sealed envelopes from competing publishers showing subscribers and points of entry. Julie (staff member) summarized the materials and told the board, "Johnson County, per our population, we're required to have 3 official newspapers where we publish minutes and things." Julie read a figure showing the Gazette submitted 4,280 paid subscribers in Johnson County as of Dec. 28, 2024.

The dispute centered on whether the Press-Citizen met the code's local-entry criteria. Staff said the Press-Citizen initially listed Cedar Rapids as its point of entry and later updated the point of entry to an address in Coralville; Miley Walsh (Auditor's Office) reported via email that the Coralville address was updated "within a week" of the meeting. Board members asked whether the statute requires a publisher to have used a point-of-entry address for two years; staff said that precise legal interpretation would be an attorney question.

Board members and staff discussed how the code measures circulation and subscription evidence, including whether paid digital subscriptions count. Nathan (staff member) reviewed the questionnaire language and confirmed the board may consider the number of bona fide paid subscribers who receive the newspaper in Johnson County — regardless of delivery method. He also noted the county has limited ability to create an in-county third paper if none exists and that courts historically reviewed such contests, giving the board some discretion when strict technical criteria cannot be met.

After discussion, Supervisor John Green moved to award the contest to the Cedar Rapids Gazette; the motion was seconded and approved in a recorded voice roll call with all members voting yes. The board subsequently designated the Gazette, the News of Kelowna, and the Economist of Solon as the county's three official newspapers for 2025 in a separate vote.

Why it matters: Iowa law requires counties to designate three official newspapers for publication of legal notices. The board's decision determines which outlets must receive official notices and which subscriber evidence the county accepts as proof of local circulation.

The board's action was limited to selecting the winner of the contest; members reserved broader questions about whether state law should be updated to reflect digital readership for the legislature. The county attorney or other legal staff was cited as the appropriate source for unresolved statutory interpretation.

Ending: The board's contest decision and subsequent designation will determine where future legal notices for Johnson County are published for 2025; staff advised the county will follow the statutory process and maintain the subscriber evidence on file.