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Board discusses criteria for official county newspapers; decision tabled pending circulation data
Summary
Supervisors discussed which newspapers meet statutory criteria to serve as Winnebago County's two official papers and tabled the decision pending circulation information and staff follow-up.
The board discussed which newspapers should serve as Winnebago County's official papers for legal publications and notices.
County staff referenced local code language (cited during the meeting as "code section 3 49.3") that requires the county of the current size to designate two official papers if two qualifying newspapers exist. The meeting record shows staff reviewed current options: the Four City Summit (often used for county publications), Buffalo Center paper (which no longer has an office in Buffalo and whose printing point and circulation were questioned), and the Northwood Anchor, which some staff said carries Lake Mills coverage and may have measurable circulation in parts of the county.
Staff and supervisors discussed practical considerations: whether the Four City Summit’s distribution and the Buffalo Center paper’s current office location meet the statutory criteria, where each paper is printed and the papers' circulation figures. A county staff member said she places required notices on the county website, Facebook page and Buffalo Center and believed local radio (KRW) picks up many items. Supervisors asked staff to obtain circulation numbers from the Northwood Anchor and other candidate publications and to consult county counsel (Kelsey) before making a designation.
Why it matters: Designating official newspapers determines where legal notices and public hearings must be published under state and local rules; circulation and distribution determine whether a paper qualifies. The board said it wants to ensure proper legal publication and asked staff to return with circulation figures and counsel's advice.
Next steps: The board tabled the decision and directed staff to collect circulation data and consult Kelsey for legal guidance; the item will be revisited when that information is available.
Ending: No formal change was made; the board will revisit the matter after staff provides verified circulation numbers and counsel input.
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