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Board debates public-notice posting as local paper circulation declines
Summary
Commissioners discussed using the county website and Outlook calendars for public notices and noted statutory requirements for notices in a paper of general circulation amid the apparent end of a local newspaper edition.
Staff reported the county has created a centralized calendar in Outlook and is using the website calendar for public notices and event postings. Staff said citizens may sign up on the website to receive automated updates when the county posts events. A board member asked whether posting to the website alone qualifies as a public meeting notice; staff said statutes usually require notice in “a paper of general circulation in the county,” and that if there is no local paper the legislature may need to address electronic notice rules. The board discussed that the county’s usual paper may have ceased publication and that there may be limited circulation for nearby papers.
The nut graph: The discussion centers on how the county will meet legal notice requirements if local newspapers cease regular publication and whether electronic calendars will suffice under current law.
Staff said the county continues its practice of filing blanket annual notices for regularly scheduled meetings and still publishes hearings notices in the paper when required. Commissioners asked staff to research the applicable statutes and whether electronic posting alone would satisfy legal requirements.
Ending: Staff said it will follow up on statutory notice requirements and on options (nearby papers, continued annual blanket notices, and electronic notice/signup) and report back to the board.
