Highland reviews draft contract with The Idea Factory for Gazebo newsletter; council weighs print-to-digital shift

Town staff and representatives of The Idea Factory reviewed a draft transitional agreement at the Jan. 26 study session to produce Highland’s municipal newsletter, Gazebo Express, through early 2027.

The draft agreement, prepared by Idea Factory principals Robin Carlascio and Theresa Badovich, outlines two production models: a bi‑monthly printed newsletter at $2,600 per issue ($650 per page) or a monthly production model at $2,000 per issue ($500 per page). Ancillary charges cited in the draft include stock images at $53.56 each, custom photography/graphics at $107.12 each, web hosting at $26.77 per month and web security at $133.90 per month. The draft also lists website maintenance and update fees (variously described in materials as $195/week and later $145/week). The agreement text attached to materials would run from March 1, 2026 through Jan. 31, 2027, with standard invoicing on delivery and an option to extend.

Idea Factory and staff proposed a hybrid rollout and a QR‑code test to measure residents’ willingness to access a digital PDF via a code printed on a utility-bill insert. Under the proposal discussed, March and April would be bi‑monthly issues; May, June and July would be single printed issues that include a QR code; August could be a digital‑only test depending on uptake; fall issues could revert to bi‑monthly or continue as monthly electronic issues depending on results.

Councilors said they were sympathetic to the savings from a digital shift but voiced concern that seniors and residents without scanning ability would be cut off from municipal information. Councilor Alex Robertson said he would "be in favor of ripping the Band‑Aid off and just going digital," while Councilors Georgeff and Scheeringa urged caution for seniors. The clerk‑treasurer and Idea Factory indicated the QR code could be printed on the utility bill or inserted with the mailed invoice; measuring baseline readership and response rates via QR scans was a key metric for the proposed trial.

The agreement draft also incorporated procurement and Works Board language describing the services and pricing and requested that the Town Council President approve a preliminary edition at least two weeks prior to publication. At the Jan. 26 study session the contract language was reviewed and questions remained; no final, recorded approval was made during the study session. The draft appears prepared for consideration at future Works Board or plenary meetings.

Next steps: staff will clarify weekly web‑maintenance fees and confirm whether the Works Board will consider the draft at the Feb. 9 meeting; the Council asked staff to return sample consent‑agenda materials from comparable towns for the next study session.