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Attachment A <br /> ARDEN HILLS <br /> NEWSLETTER REVIEW <br /> EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> Over the last couple of years,the number of volunteers in the communications committee has <br /> been in slow decline. Currently we have four individuals involved (staff, city council liaison, Susan <br /> Cathey and Mary Nosek). Also, our current volunteer pool could decrease even more. The <br /> average cost for design is$150, printing is$1,550 and postage is$600 for a total of$2,300 per <br /> newsletter. Annual cost for our 10 newsletters is$23,000. <br /> ISSUES <br /> Is city council, staff or a volunteer the one to drive vision and implementation of the newsletter. <br /> Currently, both a staff member and city council liaison are on the committee but we do not have <br /> anyone pushing the newsletter forward. There is a big difference between a liaison: a person <br /> who helps groups work together and provides information to each other AND a driver: one that <br /> provides motivation, steers the direction and is responsible for the results. <br /> Who is going to be responsible for content in the future if our volunteer pool continues to shrink. <br /> Is this completed by more staff and city council member involvement, finding more volunteers or <br /> paying writers. <br /> A LA CARTE OPTIONS <br /> UU 11UL11111y - UUV6 11UL impact the budget but does risk the burnout of current volunteers and <br /> the desktop publisher volunteer. <br /> Recruit volunteers - does not impact the budget but someone needs to recruit and actually get <br /> people to help out. <br /> City Council and staff write articles -the impact on the budget is based upon how much staff time <br /> is used up to write content for newsletters. <br /> Pay writers -the impact on the budget would be minimal ($100-$150 per article depending on <br /> length) <br /> Reduce number of newsletters -this could reduce the impact on the budget or allow the$9,200 to <br /> be used elsewhere. Possibly move from 10 newsletters a year to six. <br /> Outsource design -the cost would be an additional $11,000 if we stayed with a 4-page design and <br /> 10 newsletters a year. The cost would be an additional$7,000 if we stayed with a <br /> 4-page design and six newsletters a year. <br /> Determine who "owns"the newsletter- once this is clarified that person can define vision, <br /> direction and implementation of newsletter changes. <br /> MY RECOMMENDATION <br /> I'll tell you what I think if you ask... <br />