Herald retains status as city’s official newspaper

Published 12:00 pm Saturday, July 22, 2006

POULSBO — For the second consecutive year, the North Kitsap Herald has been named the city of Poulsbo’s official newspaper.

The Herald’s bid for the city’s legal advertisements was lower than the one submitted by the Bremerton Sun.

“I’m surprised they came in so much lower than the Sun,” said Councilman Dale Rudolph when the bids were announced at the city council’s finance/administration committee meeting Wednesday night.

The Herald’s bid was for $1.95 per vertical column inch, 25 cents per line and $16.10 to print a sample of the ad. The Sun bid $3.24 per inch, 32 cents per line and $29.97 to print a sample.

“For the most part, the fact that one comes out seven days a week and one comes out two times a week doesn’t really matter,” Rudolph said.

Councilman Jim Henry agreed and recommended that the city go with the Herald again.

However, at the full council meeting Mayor Kathryn Quade asked if it was possible to designate the Herald as the city’s official newspaper and still put ads in the Sun for meetings on a timely basis.

Councilman Jeff McGinty replied that according to state law any legal notice requiring 15 days notice would have to be in the city’s official newspaper, which is the Herald.

When the issue came up for a vote by the full council, the decision was unanimous not only to accept the Herald’s bid, but also designate it as the city’s official newspaper.

Councilman Mike Regis voted to accept the Herald’s bid, but abstained from the vote to name the Herald the city’s official newspaper for “personal reasons.”

North Kitsap Herald Publisher Donna Etchey said she is pleased that Herald will remain the city’s official newspaper.

“We have a great relationship with the city that we hope to continue in the future,” Etchey said.

As a community newspaper, the Herald prides itself in providing accurate and complete coverage throughout the city and the entire North End, she said.

“As a community newspaper, it’s important for us to be recognized as the city’s official newspaper,” Etchey said. “It’s a tradition we hope to continue.”