Our pledge to you for 2017
by Anne Swenson, Publisher
The Ely Echo is moving ahead into 2017, welcoming new equipment and new innovation. And we also welcome Cam Weisert into expanded roles as a staff member at the Echo. He joins General manager Nick Wognum, Echo Editor Tom Coombe, Graphic Designer Lisa Vidal-Sainio, and Sales Rep Terri Reinesch.
Together we have over 112 years with the Ely Echo, receiving pay checks every two weeks, paying property taxes just like each of you do.
We sure have had a challenging winter thus far and we’ve rolled with the punches - bringing a new bathroom on line, a new phone system and new printing equipment as well as a whole new photo printing setup to serve our customers.
Since I was a child I have been more interested in owning a business than working for someone. I believe that mutual respect is the best way for a business to survive. I like operating that way. It gives the business access to those added experiences and brains to help make business decisions to survive.
If you’ve been in business you know that running an operation is more than just hanging out a sign and opening your door. Becoming profitable is part of the ethic as well. With profitability comes increased benefits for all the workers in the business. Yes, it would be less expensive to operate out of a post office box where there’s no added cost for expensive utilities and taxes, insurance or upkeep. But that stance doesn’t show your commitment nor support for the community you purport to serve.
Recently I asked a question of the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s attorney, Mark Anfinson: What is a “known office of publication” in order to be considered as a legal newspaper.
The specific criteria that must be met for a newspaper to be a legal newspaper--referred to as a “qualified newspaper” in Minnesota law--is listed at Minn. Stat., sec. 331A.02, subd. 1.
The “known office of issue” is defined in section 331A.01, subd. 2. Under this definition, it’s pretty clear that simply having a P.O. box is not sufficient,
Mark replied:
331A.02 REQUIREMENTS FOR A QUALIFIED NEWSPAPER.
Subdivision 1. Qualification. No newspaper in this state shall be entitled to any compensation or fee for publishing any public notice unless it is a qualified newspaper shall:
331A.01, Subd. 2. Known office of issue. “Known office of issue” means the newspaper’s principal office devoted primarily to business related to the newspaper, whether or not printing or any other operations of the newspaper are conducted at or from the office. A newspaper may have only one known office of issue.
I had asked: Does a PO Box qualify?
Anfinson replied: Under this definition, it’s pretty clear that simply having a P.O. box is not sufficient.
To clarify I asked Mark: So, an office constitutes a place where the business of the newspaper happens - people can pay bills, get a subscription, place an ad, take a news release, unlike a person’s home or Post Office box?
He replied: That’s how I’ve always interpreted the statute, Anne.
Mark
And when one cares about the community and its people, that cost to run a main street office makes sense. Our subscribers and advertisers and governments are invested here and we need to be too. - Anne Swenson
