Over the past two years, Provo City Council members have been pressing for an ordinance to clean up and standardize the racks. They want a uniform system the city can manage without crossing First Amendment lines.

After meeting with several media outlets, city administrators have rolled out a plan they believe will do both. At its June 6 meeting, the council could finalize a measure that follows similar actions in Salt Lake City and Park City.

“It would be nice to have this one done," acknowledged Wayne Parker, Provo's chief administrative officer.

The proposed solution: Provo would purchase news-rack pedestals and install them in specific downtown areas. Media outlets would purchase, install and maintain the publication-holding boxes to sit on the pedestals.

Media companies would be allowed to put their masthead logo on the the box, but not change the rack's black color. To maintain uniformity, Provo would purchase extra back-up boxes and fill them with city literature such as newsletters and activity guides.

“We've tried to be as accommodating as we can and still accomplish our goal of cleaning up the mix-and-match of the racks we have now,” Parker said.

Media representatives, worried about possible control issues, shot down another proposal that would have had Provo purchasing both pedestals and boxes and renting them out, Parker said.

To come up with a working ordinance, city officials said they have met with representatives from Newspaper Agency Corporation (the production arm of independently owned The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News), the Provo Daily Herald and USA Today.

Kelly Roberts, NAC's vice president of circulation/sales, said the hardest part is meeting the needs of both the city and the media. “As long as we can manage our availability, we'll work with the city,” he said. “We want to make sure it doesn't limit our access to our customers.”

Said Councilwoman Midge Johnson: “It will make a big difference in downtown. It's a good thing and I'm [eager] for it to happen.”

thollingshead@sltrib.com