Council hears plan to bring City Currents magazine production in‑house to save costs

The City of Des Moines is proposing to switch production of its quarterly City Currents magazine to in‑house layout and production beginning in 2026, Deputy Director of Administrative Services Bonnie Wilkins told council on Dec. 4. Staff plan to keep quarterly distribution, continue mailing to resident households and preserve a digital flipbook; the proposed redesign would reduce the magazine from 32 to approximately 12 pages and rely less on outside advertising to lower costs.

Wilkins said the principal savings come from cutting ads and eliminating the layout middleman; postage is the largest remaining expense. Current postage runs roughly $6,000 per issue, and staff estimate annual savings in the $40,000–$50,000 range depending on page count and potential route adjustments. Council discussed distribution methods (carrier sort vs. bulk mail), opt‑out implications and the need to continue reaching residents who do not use social media or email. Wilkins said the Post Office currently determines delivery on a household basis and staff will explore opt‑out and route‑reduction options with the Post Office if council pursues them.

Council members urged staff to consider workload impacts for the person who will handle layout and to include a calendar and accessible digital format. Wilkins said departments will continue to supply content and that staff will lay out the magazine and send it to the printer. The city will offer limited advertising or partnership pages (nonprofits, pool district) to offset printing costs.