Council designates NorthNow (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel community section) as city’s official newspaper; alder raises circulation concerns

The Wauwatosa Common Council designated NorthNow — the community publication affiliated with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — as the city’s official newspaper for publication of legal notices.

City staff told the council that the choice is constrained by state law, which requires a qualifying newspaper that “reports the news and publishes regularly at least once a week” and files a certificate with the county clerk (staff referenced Wisconsin statute language in the discussion). The clerk said staff reviewed bids and that no other bids were received; most area municipalities use a Now publication connected to the Journal Sentinel.

Alder First questioned whether NorthNow has meaningful local readership and called the practice “silly,” while other members noted NorthNow’s linkage to the Journal Sentinel and described it as providing coverage for Wauwatosa. Mayor McBride cited circulation figures for the Journal Sentinel’s combined print circulation to note it remains the largest in the state, and staff said using the community publication is standard among nearby municipalities.

The council approved the designation by voice vote.

Why it matters: Official designation determines where legally required notices are published; statutory rules limit the pool of eligible publications, and councils must balance cost, circulation and statutory compliance when selecting a paper.

What’s next: Staff said it can research alternative eligible publications if alder members want to propose another paper for future consideration.