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<br />ATTACHMENT 5 .
<br />Information on Potential Redwood City Citywide Newsletter
<br />March 10,2008
<br />
<br />Staff met with the Ad Hoc Committee on Communications (Mayor Foust, Vice Mayor Howard, Council
<br />member Bain) to discuss the possibility of a citywide newsletter, mailed to each household and
<br />business in Redwood City.
<br />
<br />Puroose/aoals of a citywide newsletter
<br />To provide a means of effectively and economically reaching each household and business in
<br />Redwood City on a regular, predictable basis, with information about the City, its services, programs,
<br />opportunities, policies, and plans.
<br />
<br />A periodic newsletter is most suitable for "big picture" and themed items, for educating and informing
<br />people about overarching issues, large projects, policies and policy changes, key messages about City
<br />priorities and projects or activities, etc. For example:
<br />
<br />· Council action - update on council decisions
<br />made, a look at upcoming councilor commission
<br />calendars and activities
<br />· Focus on Youth
<br />· 'Spotlight' on a City department, team, or
<br />individual
<br />· Outlining general scope of what's happening in
<br />the City, goals and objectives, big issues
<br />· Focus on seasonal key messages (Le., water
<br />conservation, wet playing fields, energy
<br />conservation, bicycle safety, winter storm watch,
<br />seasonal events, summer safety, winterization of
<br />homes, etc.)
<br />· Spotlight on a neighborhood
<br />
<br />· Feature on Council Priorities
<br />· Focus on selected non-profit, or partner agency
<br />· Sign up to receive this or other periodicals/alerts
<br />on projects electronically
<br />· Overview of a board, committee, commission
<br />· Pitch upcoming annual events/activities (PACT,
<br />etc.)
<br />· Other announcements such as overall
<br />information and education on high-profile issues
<br />· City contact information (in every issue)
<br />Questions and answers "About Redwood City"
<br />· Cross-promotion with website ("Website Corner")
<br />and RCTV
<br />
<br />When more timely notifications are necessary for near-upcoming meetings, workshops, or other
<br />events, (which may not be possible in the newsletter given its production lead time), staff
<br />recommends the use of advertising, in addition to our normal publicity efforts (monthly E-news,
<br />periodic email'blasts,' news releases). Advertising costs are included in the estimated costs provided.
<br />
<br />Descriotion of ootential newsletter
<br />The newsletter would be mailed six times a year to approximately 39,000 houses, apartments,
<br />condominiums, and businesses (each issue would have a print run of 40,000). This would be a four-
<br />color, 8,5 x 11 newsletter, four pages, with one fold in the middle, recycled paper stock with soy-
<br />based inks.
<br />
<br />Cost
<br />Including per-issue layout by an outside graphic designer, printing, mailing house processing and
<br />handling, and postage, the cost is approximately $17,200 per issue (44lt per household reached), for
<br />a total of $103,200 annually. An additional $1,200 is required for the initial new design, layout, and
<br />formatting of the newsletter. Funding for periodic advertising is estimated at $15,000, The total cost
<br />involved is $119,200.
<br />
<br />Note that postage is estimated at 21-cents per piece, and postage rates are expected to rise in May.
<br />
<br />Staff time involved with producing a periodic newsletter is roughly estimated at 18 - 24 hours per issue
<br />(13 -18 working days annually), for research, writing, editing. coordination, photo and graphic
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