The Humboldt Union was made Allen County’s newspaper of record by county commissioners Tuesday. IN OTHER business, commissioners:
The Iola Register had held the designation for decades until two years ago when, on a split vote, the Union was selected.
On a unanimous vote, the Register again was made the newspaper of record a year ago, which carries with it the right to publish all legal notices. Then, Commissioner Tom Williams, newly seated with Jim Talkington, made a one-year promise to vote for the Union this year. Tuesday he carried through, after Works made the motion in the Union’s favor. Talkington was against the action.
“I think the goal is to get (legal publications) in the hands of the most people,” Talkington said, referring to the Register’s widespread circulation and website.
The decision was prefaced by a short discussion, during which Works mentioned the Union and Register might share being the county’s official publication.
“I’m of the opinion they can’t be co-official” newspapers, County Counselor Alan Weber said.
Even so, Works added that some legal publications would be in both newspapers.
Works deciding whether to publish in both newspapers would be decided “on a case-by-case basis.”
Williams added, “anything that affects the entire county.”
The decision also allows the Humboldt Union to publish the notices three times; the Register will be granted only one publication.
The Register argued a week ago it should remain the county’s official newspaper because of its greater and wider circulation.
Its 2,700 paid subscriptions are almost four times as many as the Union, including 1,400 in Iola, 242 in Humboldt, 203 in Moran and 177 in the rural tier across the north part of the county. The Register also has 81 online-only subscribers.
The Union lacks a presence on the Internet.
— Approved renewal of a contract of $11,313.50 with Emergency Communications Network, Ormond Beach, Fla., to continue CodeRED weather and emergency telephone alerts through the Allen County Critical Response Center.
Emergency Management Director Pam Beasley said 113 weather alerts were issued during 2013, compared to just 40 in 2012. Altogether, 26,350 contacts were made through all calls, three times as many as 2013’s 10,332.
In addition to weather warnings, calls are made for law enforcement purposes. Calls may be targeted to people living in areas directly affected by weather or other events.
Beasley also told commissioners a new Community Operations System plan had been completed, and would be good for five years. The plan details how disaster and emergency situations would be handled.
— Gave Bill King, director of Public Works, permission to acquire 12 cell phones at a cost of $5,000 a year so his employees may be more responsive when they are scattered throughout the county. Radio reception in some parts of the county is iffy, and his employees have been using personal cell phones to communicate and relay information, King said.
“Makes sense to me they’re all emergency workers,” Williams said.
— At Weber’s urging commissioners said they would reconsider the county’s contribution to the Allen County Economic Development Committee at their Jan. 28 meeting. Iola and Iola Industries each increased their participation from $15,000 to $20,000 for this year. County commissioners last week kept theirs the same as 2013, $10,000. The county has another $10,000 available in its economic development fund.
Humboldt Union gets the nod
