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CASE NUMBER: 1304-81 6 May 1981 APPLICANT: City of Roseville Page 2 1981, the City sent notices to the newspaper companies concerned informing them of the Planning Commission hearing and inviting them to a meeting with the staff on 8 April to discuss the problem and possible solutions., At the 8 April meeting we had representation from the four newspapers concerned. The Saint Paul Dispatch was represented by Jack - Delo., Circulation Manager, accompanied by Michael Maenner, a legal counsel. The Minneapolis Star was represented by Lee Barten, Circulation Manager, accompanied by Bjorn Calson from the Circulation Department-, and Sarah Jaye attorney for the Star. Grey Enright appeared for the Lillie Suburban papers as well as a representative from the Sun Newspapers. Attached are subsequent letters received from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and the Sun Newspapers regarding their views on the question. 4. The basic problem as expressed at the meeting is that the supply of young people willing to deliver papers today has substantially diminished. They note. that the hardships due to weather and conformance to the strict delivery schedule is not as attractive to young people as it once was. They note further that the availability of better paying-part time jobs makes the newspaper carrier job less competitive in today's job market. Thus, newspaper circulation managers in general have resorted to the use of "adult carriers" making the delivery by car. For this purpose, in their opinion, a tube for placement of the newspaper at the curb is essential. The number of tubes thus placed in the City has substantially increased in the last two years. The Saint Paul Paper indicates that approximately 29 percent of their deliveries in Roseville are done by automobile. The Minneapolis Star indicates about 350 tube locations in Roseville. They indicate that in their opinion rarely does a single subscriber take both papers. In general, they note that the westerly portion of the City seems to orient more heavily toward the -Minneapolis papers with the eastern area oriented toward the Saint Paul 1�aper. The Roseville Sun does some of i 'ts deliver' I y by mail and some by private carrier. Though they recognize the potential concern when and if all deliveries are done by motor carrier depositing the paper in tubes, they express general opposition to restriction on the placement and use of the newspaper tubes. The possibility of each homeowner having a single tube without the name of a newspaper on it for the use of all newspapers and/or advertising material was discussed but not endorsed. 5. Their basic concern relates to the. economics of del i.verinq papers. We suggested therefore that it would be hell)ful if we were aware of the -numbers involved so that we could better understand the problem prior to considering a solution (a process essential In find Linq solutions to any problem) . Both 1)rinclpal papers (S tar - Tribune and Dispatch) were reluctant to discuss the numbers in the presence of their competitors. At our request, they did agree to send us additional linformation reqardlng the