Fairhope, Alabama thefairhopetimes.blogspot.com
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| Recent newspaper legal ads. |
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| New ordinance. |
PRINT ADS OBSOLETE?
The city council may discontinue publishing legal ads about city business in printed newspapers in favor of on-line posting -- and strategic physical posting instead.
According to the proposed new ordinance, since there are no longer newspapers of general circulation published in the city that are focused on news and events in the city, changes are allowed.
City Attorney Chris Williams: "After extensive review of Alabama Law, attorney general decisions and practical issues ... we found some exceptions are allowed ... alternative methods .... fair and transparent ... of publication and notice requirements... ."
Council president Conyers agreed: "We are not doing this to be sneaky ... this is the way people obtain information now."
Williams added there still may be some limited instances where printed publication will still be necessary.
POSTINGS TO GO ONLINE AND DESIGNATED BULLETIN BOARDS
If the city council votes to enact it, a landing page on the city's website will be established instead for the required notices -- and physical postings will be at various city offices around town: Nix Center, Public Works, Planning Offices, and City Hall.
Notification by e-mail will continue as well, for those signed up.
REASONS CITED
Besides the decline of printed newspapers/subscriptions, the considerable cost to the city to publish long printed materials (ie lengthy new proposed ordinances) is being cited for the change too.
Williams called the change "more cost-effective for taxpayers .... the city incurs extensive costs .. for large ordinances ... or images."