Title
Consider Reviewing the Decision to Award the Contract for Legal Notices to the Alameda Journal, including a Possible Re-Vote to Terminate the Contract and Discuss Ways to Tide Over the Alameda Sun. (Councilmember Daysog)
Body
COUNCIL REFERRAL FORM
The Council can take any of the following actions:
1) Take no action.
2) Refer the matter to staff to schedule as a future City Council agenda item. Concurrence that staff time will be devoted to the item does not signify approval.
3) Take dispositive action only on time sensitive legislative matters if sufficiently noticed such that the public and Council have been provided sufficient information by the published agenda, and no formal published notice of a public hearing is required.
Name of Councilmember(s) requesting referral: Tony Daysog
Date of submission to City Clerk (must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on the Monday two weeks before the Council meeting requested): July 5, 2021, 1:10 PM PST
Council Meeting date: July 20, 2021
Brief description of the subject to be printed on the agenda, sufficient to inform the City Council and public of the nature of the referral:
Review (3-2) decision to award legal notices publishing contract to East Bay Times \ Alameda Journal, including possible taking of a re-vote after Council referral discussion \ direction in a properly agendized manner to terminate current contract, as well as including discussing alternative ways to tide over Alameda Sun for at least one year starting July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.
The City Council, at its July 25, 2020 Priority Setting Workshop, established the following 5 priorities for 2021:
1. Preparing Alameda for the future
2. Encouraging economic development across the Island
3. Supporting enhanced livability and quality of life, including addressing the housing crisis and homelessness
4. Protecting core services
5. Ensuring effective and efficient operations
Briefly describe which Council priority the subject falls under and how it relates:
Newspapers such as the Alameda Sun and the East Bay Times are vital to our community’s well-being in a myriad of ways, including informing residents of the types of issues and concerns captured in priorities 1 through 5 above. Of note is the free distribution of the Alameda Sun at various business establishments across Alameda, which has the effect of directly promoting economic development, as persons go to their favorite Alameda Sun news stand to get their free paper, and then enjoy a nearby business establishment such as a coffee shop. With all of the above in mind, through this referral, I am requesting the Alameda City Council to review (3-2) decision to award legal notices publishing contract to East Bay Times \ Alameda Journal, including possible taking of a re-vote after Council referral discussion \ direction in a properly agendized manner, as well as including discussing alternative ways to tide over Alameda Sun for at least one year starting July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. /s/ Tony Daysog