Item 5 - Poway Today Printing Expenses AGENDA REPORT SUMMARY_
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: James L. Bowersox, City Mana~
INITIATED BY: John D. Fitch, Assistant City Manage
Penny Riley, Senior Management Analys~
DATE: February 14, 1995
SUBJECT: Poway Today Printing Expenses
ABSTRACT
On January 17, 1995, Councilmember Betty Rexford raised the issue of the cost of paper
for Poway Today, the quarterly municipal newsletter. This report details the
characteristics of the available paper stock and the criteria used by staff to select
the paper for Poway Today.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Environmental review is not required for this informational report according to
California Environmental Quality Act guidelines.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND CORRESPONDENCE
A copy of this report was mailed to Joe Diaz.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council receive and file this report.
ACTION
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FEB 1 4 '1995 ITEM 5
TY OF POWAY
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: James L. Bowersox, City Mana~
INITIATED BY: John D. Fitch, Assistant City Manager~_~ _
Penny Riley, Senior Management Analyst[_~W~q~
DATE: February 14, 1995
SUBJECT: Poway Today Printing Expenses
BACKGROUND
On January 17, 1995, Councilmember Betty Rexford raised the issue of the cost of
paper for Poway Today, the quarterly municipal newsletter. Staff was directed to
prepare a report for City Council information.
FINDINGS
The City of Poway publishes Poway Today, a quarterly municipal newsletter,
through a nonprofit organization called Poway Today Incorporated. The first
edition of 8 pages was published in March 1983, with a circulation of 13,000.
The current newsletter varies between 12 and 16 pages (depending on the number of
recreation programs offered by the City). Traditionally, the Summer issue is the
largest edition in size and circulation. The average number of newsletters
mailed each quarter is 17,605 delivered to all residences, businesses and postal
box customers in Poway. Poway Today is mailed third class, bulk rate, saturation
walk sequence under Permit 114. Additional copies are made available at City
offices for walk-in registration fora total circulation of 19,000 (20,000 for
the Summer issue).
Poway Today is published on Book stock paper with a 50 pound weight. Staff
selected the paper stock for the newsletter based on the following criteria:
· The characteristics of the paper should be sufficient to distinguish the
newsletter from other bulk mail publications.
· The paper stock must be able to hold up for repeated handling for
bundling/processing prior to and during shipment.
· Poway Today provides residents news of park development, highlights new staff
members or programs, announcements of upcoming events, such as Earth Day and
4th of July, and other stories of general interest. Poway Today is also the
vehicle used to distribute the City's recreation schedule and registration
form. The registration form, which is cut out from the newsletter, is mailed
to the City of Poway for processing. The Community Services Department
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FEB 14 1995 ITEM 5
Agenda Report - Poway Today
February 14, 1995
Page 2
handles the form several times during the enrollment period and then the
original form is maintained by the City for several years.
· The City'provides a "Tell Us How It Is" citizen feedback program in the Summer
and Winter editions of Poway Today. The forms are clipped from the newsletter
and then mailed to the City with the customer's water bill.
· Photographs feature prominently in the layout of every issue of Poway Today.
Book stock is noted for reproducing photographs with high resolution, making
it a desirable paper choice.
Available Paper Stock
Paper Book Stock Electrobri~ht Newsprint
Weight 50 pound 34 pound 28 pound
(thickness)
price for 20,000 $3,613 $2,356 $2,210
copies
Although there are three grades of paper commonly available through Pomerado
Publishing, staff elected to use Book stock paper for the reasons discussed
above.
The Poway Today quarterly newsletter has been extended by four pages and new ink
selections have been added to the publication since its inception in March 1983.
The per newsletter production costs (including editing, paper, and press costs)
have increased only 11¢ in the last twelve years, while the circulation has
expanded 28,000 newsletters per year and the number of pages per edition has
doubled.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Environmental review is not required for this informational report according to
California Environmental Quality Act guidelines,
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND CORRESPONDENCE
A copy of this report was mailed to Joe Diaz.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council receive and file this report.
- JLB:JDF:PAR:eb
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