Council delays naming ‘official newspaper’; city will publish legal notices in Volga Tribune as local publishers plan restarts

The Brookings City Council removed from the consent agenda a resolution to designate an official newspaper and will publish required legal notices in the Volga Tribune while staff and the city attorney review the legal distinction between an "official" and a "legal" newspaper.

City Clerk Bonnie said state law treats declaration of an official newspaper and identification of a legal newspaper as separate matters and recommended postponing resolution 25-072 so staff and the city attorney can review the issue and return with a recommendation. Bonnie told the council the city will "revert to the second portion of that law" and publish required legal notices in the county weekly, the Volga Tribune, while the question is worked out.

The change drew public comment from two people who said they intend to restart local newspapers. Josh Linahan, identified as a Brookings resident and until recently the managing editor of the Brookings Register, told the council there is "a deep thirst for a vibrant, local, independent newspaper in Brookings" and said he plans to start a local paper. He asked the council to "remain flexible and even possibly creative as we move forward" on legal notices while acknowledging there are laws the city cannot circumvent.

Sean Service, identified as publisher of the Huron Plainsman, said a group he is working with intends to publish the Register "again by the end of next week, possibly this week," and that the effort will try to honor existing subscriptions. Service said his priorities are saving newsroom jobs and ensuring subscribers and local businesses are taken care of.

Mayor Garrett Niemeyer asked whether publication in a weekly paper will change workflow. Council member Hager asked how shifting from a near‑daily Brookings Register to a weekly Volga Tribune would affect the city's timeline for publishing council actions. Bonnie replied the Volga Tribune's submission deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. and publication is Thursdays, meaning approvals this evening would be transmitted to the Tribune next Monday for publication the following Thursday, adding roughly 10 days to the timeline for publishing approved items.

Council approved the agenda amendment to remove the resolution from the consent agenda; the city will continue publishing required legal notices in the Volga Tribune until staff returns with a recommendation.

The council did not vote on any ordinance naming a permanent official newspaper at this meeting. Public comments from Linahan and Service were part of the open forum and not a formal action on the council record.