[Massplanners] Legal Advertisements for Planning Board and ZBA Hearings

[Eric Rumsey]

What are you guys putting in your ads that makes them cost $1400!  Ours typically run approximately $150 (though we haven’t yet gotten a bill from Gannet since they bought the Worcester Telegram and Gazette).

Eric Rumsey
Town Planner & Conservation Agent
Economic Development and Planning Department
Town of Southbridge
41 Elm Street | Southbridge, MA 01550
p: 508.764.5402
e: erumsey at southbridgemass.org<mailto:erumsey at southbridgemass.org>
w: ci.southbridge.ma.us

From: MassPlanners <massplanners-bounces at masscptc.org> On Behalf Of Harry LaCortiglia via MassPlanners
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2022 7:46 AM
To: John Charbonneau <jcharbonneau at stoughton-ma.gov>
Cc: massplanners at masscptc.org
Subject: Re: [Massplanners] Legal Advertisements for Planning Board and ZBA Hearings


$1400 is the going rate around here...

It's almost as much as a full tank of gas....
Happy Friday,
H. LaCortiglia
Georgetown P.B. and CPC


On 3/24/2022 8:38 AM, John Charbonneau wrote:
Everyone,

I don't think going to online legal ads would derogate from the law.  Even with print newspapers, people can't get the papers unless they pay for them through delivery or at a store.  So I don't see how online newspapers are any different.  Our conservation commission recently had a legal ad cost them $1,400 to be published twice.  That is outrageous.  The law needs to catch up to what is happening and allow publication in online newspapers to satisfy the legal requirements.

John

John M. Charbonneau
Town Planner
10 Pearl Street
Stoughton, MA 02072
(781) 341-1300 x9201


On Thu, Mar 24, 2022 at 8:08 AM Harry LaCortiglia via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org<mailto:massplanners at masscptc.org>> wrote:

Hi Everyone,

This is becoming a topic of concern for my community as well. Public Hearing Notice costs are rising with the near monopoly of the remaining newspapers that still serve the area.

Would it be adverse to law to advertise Notices only in a 100% on-line publication?

Not only would that save money, but it most likely would have the effect of increasing the distribution of the information. Subscriptions for paper versions of newspapers are falling every day, while more and more folks are reading their news on-line.

It almost leads one to question if the paper versions are truly any longer, "of general circulation".

Looking forward to the views of the Planning community!
H. LaCortiglia
Georgetown P.B. & CPC


On 3/23/2022 10:43 AM, Kristina Johnson via MassPlanners wrote:
Hello Friends and Colleagues,

I am curious to know if any of you are having an issue with legal advertisements, as many local and regional newspapers either being consolidated by large corporate media entities,  have a completely online presence, or have changed their billing policies. Both in Hudson and in Framingham (where I serve on the PB), the regional newspaper, the MetroWest Daily News is requiring “pre-payment” for all legal advertisements instead of the traditional third-party billing method.  Thankfully in Hudson we have another newspaper that publishes locally, although their deadlines completely changed our submission deadlines for PB ZBA, as they only publish once a week.  In Framingham, the only other local newspaper is 100% online,  so Framingham will most likely have to raise fees for application filings to cover the pre-payment in order to ensure the provisions of 40A Section 11 are met. I should note that legal advertisements are not cheap!

What a headache!  Anyone else facing this issue?

Best,
Kristina






Kristina Johnson, AICP
Director of Planning & Community Development
Town of Hudson,  MA
President, Mass. Association of Planning Directors
Tel: 978-562-2989
Cell:  857-939-3427
Email: kjohnson at townofhudson.org<mailto:kjohnson at townofhudson.org>
Acta non verba



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