Impact on Lawrence County, Ohio
UPDATE 2/23/12
IRONTON, Ohio (WSAZ & AP) -- The U.S. Postal Service is closing more local mail processing and distribution centers.
The USPS announced Thursday the centers in Ironton and Athens, in Ohio, are closing. Services at both centers are being moved to Columbus, Ohio.
In West Virgina, mail processing operations in Bluefield and Parkersburg will be moved to Charleston. Operations in Clarksburg will be transferred to Charleston and Pittsburgh, and operations in Petersburg will be moved to Johnstown, Pa.
And, in Kentucky, the Postal Service said centers in Bowling Green, Campton, Elizabethtown, Hazard, Lexington, London, Paducah and Somerset would close. There were no additional local closing in eastern Kentucky.
In West Virginia, closings became official for several centers. Operations in Bluefield, Clarksburg and Parkersburg will be transferred to Charleston. The Petersburg processing center will also be closed and moved to Johnstown, Pa.
The changes announced Thursday are part of a nationwide
consolidation of mail processing operations.
Last year, the USPS closed facilities in Huntington, W.Va., Ashland, Ky. and Pikeville, Ky. and consolidated the operations into the Charleston facility.
The Post Office believes the closing of more than 232 centers nationwide will save $2.1 billion annually.
Earlier this month, the Postal Service said its quarterly loss grew to $3.3 billion amid declining mail. Postal officials have said they need to cut $20 billion dollars by 2015 in order to stay profitable.
To see the full list, click here.
They're on a long list of potential post office closings throughout the country.
Community members in Waterloo, Ohio, met Tuesday with post office representatives to discuss why services at the Waterloo branch could potentially be discontinued.
Residents there say it feels like small town America is losing the only thing it had left.
"I can't believe they would come into these small communities to take the only thing we have left. We've lost our stores,” former Waterloo Postmaster Ardella Belville said. “We've lost our schools. We've lost one thing after another. In many communities the one thing we have left is the post office."
Belville says the Waterloo office employs two, but takes care of everyone around town. If it's closed, getting and sending mail will become a much harder task.
"We really use the mail, like to pay the bills, get our medicine and to do our business," she said.
Among the main concerns expressed at the meeting was the prospect of curvy roads in harsh weather conditions. Alternative post offices are 15 miles in one direction and 10 miles in the other.
The U.S. Postal Service has also had a difficult year. Officials are dealing with a $19 billion deficit, something Ross Crego had to explain to community members Monday night.
"People are grieving, maybe. Sad? Yes. Frustrated? Absolutely,” Crego said.
Crego, a postmaster himself, understands times are tough all around.
"We're all entitled to our feelings, but at some point we have to put those feelings into perspective and deal with the objective what ifs,” Crego said.
U.S. Postal Service representatives say an official decision on the closings won't happen for a few months.
To read the full list of possible post office closings, click here.
The changes include cutting its network of processing facilities by over half and adjusting service standards.
The agency lost $8.5 billion last year and is facing an even larger deficit this year
According to a news release, the proposals under consideration include consolidating or closing nearly 250 processing facilities, reducing mail processing equipment by as much as 50 percent, dramatically decreasing the nationwide transportation network, adjusting the workforce size by as many as 35,000 positions, and revising service standards for First-Class Mail.
“We are forced to face a new reality today,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. “First-Class Mail supports the organization and drives network requirements. With the dramatic decline in mail volume and the resulting excess capacity, maintaining a vast national infrastructure is no longer realistic. Since 2006, we have closed 186 facilities, removed more than 1,500 pieces of mail processing equipment, decreased employee complement by more than 110,000 through attrition and reduced costs by $12 billion.”
Mail volume has declined by more than 43 billion pieces in the past 5 years and is continuing to decline. First-Class Mail has dropped 25 percent and single piece First-Class Mail — letters bearing postage stamps — has declined 36 percent in the same time frame, and nearly 50 percent in the past ten years. The decline has created substantial excess capacity within the postal processing network.
The mail processing network itself was constructed to process and deliver First-Class Mail within a 1–3 day window depending on where the mail is sent and delivered. With the proposed change, the new service standard would become 2–3 days, meaning that on average, customers would no longer receive mail the day after it was mailed. If implemented, the change in service standards would allow for significant infrastructure changes to be made across the nation.
“Our employees continue to do a terrific job for our customers and are among the most dedicated workforce anywhere. These are difficult times and our announcement today does not reflect on their commitment to service,” added Donahoe.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Four mail processing facilities in West Virginia are on the Postal Service's review list for possible closure.
Facilities in Bluefield, Clarksburg, Parkersburg and Petersburg are among 252 nationwide that will be reviewed over the next three months. As part of the review, the Clarksburg, Bluefield and Parkersburg facilities are being reviewed to see if they could be combined with the Charleston facility. The Petersburg location, after the review, could be consolidated with the Johnstown, Pa. facility. Facilities in Athens and Ironton, Ohio, are also on the review list.
Earlier this year the USPS closed facilities in Huntington, W.Va., Ashland and Pikeville, Ky. and consolidated the operations into the Charleston facility.
To read the full list, click here.
Only six other states - Texas, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri - have more outlets under consideration for possible closure than West Virginia.
The Postal Service continues to look for ways to cut costs. It has been losing money as customers use the Internet in increasing numbers to do business instead of using the mail.
The Postal Service said Tuesday space in local stores, libraries and government offices may be used to offer postal services in some areas where post offices are ultimately closed.
U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, a West Virginia Democrat, says the announcement is more bad news for businesses and residents.
To see the entire list of offices that are on the study list, click a link below.
WEST VIRGINIA
OHIO
KENTUCKY
They urged a careful examination of the proposal that takes into account the broad impact on the community and mail delivery services in addition to the cost savings to the Postal Service.
They wrote a letter to the U.S. Postmaster General, that states in part: “Forcing rural communities in our State to make do with less is contrary to the spirit of the law, as well as the practical reality that rural areas depend more heavily on the Postal Service. In many cases, their local post office is the only convenient and realistic option for safely retrieving and sending mail -- whether a monthly benefit check, vital prescription medication, or a routine business transaction. It's inconvenient, to say the least, to have to drive to the next town, 20 miles into the hills, just to pick up your daily mail,” the Members wrote in a letter to the U.S. Postmaster General.
In the letter initiated by Rahall, and joined in by Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin (both D-W.Va.) and Reps. Shelley Moore Capito and David McKinley (both R-W.Va.), the lawmakers expressed their deep concerns about the impact such postal disruption would have on rural communities.
“The potential closures would affect roughly one in five postal facilities in our State, and follow an aggressive schedule of Area Mail Processing studies to consolidate distribution and processing operations. These additional potential closures threaten to further disrupt postal services in our State, inconveniencing and burdening businesses and residents alike,” the lawmakers wrote.
The 150 retail post offices in the State being studied for closure are among the roughly 3,700 nationwide that the Postal Service recently announced are being considered for discontinuance studies, the first step in the closure process for a postal facility.
There are already 31 discontinuance studies underway in the USPS Appalachia District, which covers most of West Virginia and southwest Virginia, as well as three studies to consolidate mail processing operations in Martinsburg, Wheeling, and Bluefield.
WSAZ.com has the latest on the closing in Ashland -- with the jobs lost and changes in how your mail will travel.
It was quiet Friday afternoon at the loading docks behind the Ashland Post Office, as it typically is in the afternoon. It will be even quieter soon, as it’s a done deal that the distribution and processing center in Ashland will close and move to Charleston.
The U.S. Postal Service says it is in financial crisis, as the volume of mail has declined drastically. WSAZ.com has been told 43 jobs will be lost.
The Postal Service says it may have to reassign some employees to the Charleston super hub or other vacant positions. But, Ashland mail workers say Charleston is full after the Beckley shutdown -- so any transfers will be out of the region.
The Postal Service says local Ashland mail will not be affected by the move, but employees say any mail going west, to Lexington, Frankfort and beyond may see delays -- because all Ashland mail will first go east to Charleston.
Ashland Mayor Tom Kelley says it's tough times for job loss here.
He says with the several hundred jobs going as the AK Steel Coke plant closes and the couple dozen jobs here on the way out -- it's bad.
The Ashland mail processing and distribution center will close by January 2012.
The mail processing centers in Huntington and Pikeville, Ky., are also set to be shutdown.
Kentuckiana District Manager James W. Kiser said in a news release, “Given the drastic 20 percent decline in mail volume the Postal Service has experienced since 2007, we must take action to reduce the size of our mail processing network.
Consolidating operations and placing our people where we need them is necessary if the Postal Service is to remain viable to provide mail service to the nation.”
“I understand our employees’ concern over this move,” Kiser added, “but the consolidation makes sense given the fiscal realities. The Charleston facility has the capacity to handle the additional workload and we can realize significant savings by shifting operations there.”
The transition is expected to be completed by January 2012. Some employees may be reassigned to the Charleston facility or to other vacant positions as a result of the move.
Kiser said therre will be no change in service standards for 96.3 percent of mail. However, as a result of the consolidation, service to 403-406, 413-414, 417-418, 430-432 and 456 will change from overnight to 2-day. Service to 246-248, 250-253, 258-259 and 261-266 will improve from 2-day to overnight.
“The significant cost savings and productivity gains expected from this consolidation were deciding factors in making this very difficult decision,” said Kiser.
Full retail services will still be available at the Ashland Post Office.
The Ashland Business Mail Entry Unit will remain open for large volume business mailers. Large volume business mailers will be able to bring their mail to the Ashland Business Mail Entry Unit at 1140 Carter Ave.
Postal service district manager James W. Kiser says the facility in Charleston, W.Va., has the capacity to handle the work and will save the Post Office money.
The postal service said in a statement that reduced mail volumes have forced the consolidation of some mail sorting operations.
Postal officials say local mail delivery will not be affected by the consolidation, but delivery times to Lexington, Louisville and Frankfort will be two-day deliveries, where they are currently overnight deliveries.
The announcement ends an Area Mail Processing survey that started in September.
Reps. Nick Rahall, Shelley Moore Capito and David McKinley joined Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin Tuesday in sending a letter to the postmaster general's office seeking answers regarding numerous mail processing studies being conducted in the state.
The studies will determine whether or not to consolidate and move five mail processing operations around the state.
The delegation said they were concerned over mail service disruption and the impact on West Virginia postal workers and communities.
Calls to the postmaster general's office were not immediately returned for comment.
District Manager, Jim Kiser says a feasibility study estimates the post office would save $1.9 million, if the center were to move
"Since 2006, we've lost three billion pieces of mail," said Kiser.
Kiser also understands the move comes with concern about jobs being lost.
"We will do everything we can to find jobs, other jobs that are open today, where we need people in, to slot people locally. Some may have to relocate to Charleston, and if they do, the postal service will pay to relocate them there," said Kiser.
Former Ashland Distribution Center worker, Kerry Sluss is skeptical that no jobs will be lost, if the center moves.
"People are going to have to relocate, and that's not a good thing. Some people can't do that because of family considerations. I don't think they're taking that into consideration at all," said Sluss.
Sluss is also concerned about what economic impact the move would have on the city.
"I just hope we can keep the plant here. I think it's wonderful that people can work here. It's going to stimulate our economy and be good for us," said Sluss.
Post Office officials say it could take four months before a decision is made about closing the distribution center.
If the distribution center did close, the post office in Ashland would not.
An estimated 200 people attended Thursday’s public hearing.
UPDATE 12/1/10 @ 6:50 p.m.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va (WSAZ) -- Saving money by consolidating -- the United States Postal Service says moving the Huntington and Beckley processing centers to Charleston will do just that.
But postal worker union leaders say it's a preview to privatization. So, how could this major mail move affect you?
Union leaders say moving more than 40 big paychecks out of Huntington will cost the local economy millions. Post office folks say Huntington will not lose its postmark, not close any mail counters and save the struggling system millions.
U.S. Post Office people say a lot less mail moving demands shutting down and consolidating mail processing systems like Huntington’s. But the local postal union leader says the mail plant mergers are about union busting and eventual privatization.
Union President Dave Daniel says by setting up central locations, the goal is to contract out to private enterprises.
Post Office officials say the consolidation to Charleston means approximately 38 Huntington career employees will be relocated somewhere.
"We think there are plenty of Appalachian district positions they can work," USPS spokesperson Cathy Yarosky said.
The union says the relocated jobs could be anywhere in the country, adding that it's not about 40 -- but up to 70 Huntington workers who eventually will be relocated.
The Post Office says -- except for a few southern Ohio zip codes -- Huntington mail processed in Charleston will not be delayed in delivery -- that from Huntington to Huntington, there will be no delays.
"That's a bold-faced lie," Daniel said. "Eventually, it will be like mail form Chesapeake to Proctorville. It can take five days for a letter to go from Chesapeake to Proctorville."
Daniel says his mail bosses told him Ashland mail to Huntington will go from one to two-day delivery.
The union is looking to file suit.
And Huntington businesses using bulk mail will have to go to Charleston to get their discount. The Ashland and Pikeville operations also may be moving to Charleston in the future.
The Huntington move should be complete by the end of March.
Spokeswoman Cathy Yarosky said Tuesday evening that operations at the Beckley and Huntington post offices will be consolidated into the Charleston processing and distributions center.
Yarosky said she had no details on the number of affected jobs. She has said a dramatic decline in mail volume has left the Postal Service with excess equipment and facilities.
Yarosky told WSAZ.com that the transition will begin immediately and is planned to be completed by March 31, 2011.
The Postal Service also is looking at consolidating mail processing operations in Martinsburg with a processing center in Maryland. That study could be completed by next spring.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
Rep. Nick Rahall released the following statement about the consolidations:
“Misguided Postal Officials have taken a meat axe to good mail delivery in southern West Virginia. Its two decisions make no economic sense. The USPS is being shortsighted and not using any peripheral vision for the opportunities all around them.”
“Our economy is working toward rebound and I would like to see justification for this decision before it proceeds any further. If we followed their logic, there would be two mail processing centers in the country – Los Angeles and New York. I asked the USPS for a detailed accounting of the math that went into this meat axe approach, and an outline that clearly defines how moving employees through transfers and paying moving and travel expenses, will save any money whatsoever, but I have YET to receive any such reports.”
“I think that West Virginians were paid lip-service by the US Postal Service officials who conducted the public hearings on these proposed changes. I question the decision making process throughout, even the process prior to the comment period.”
“The fact that Mr. Robert Cavinder, District Manager-Appalachian District, US Postal Service, fully supports these changes and has signed off on the consolidation—knowing the Charleston facility will not be losing employees and services—highlights the narrow-mindedness behind this ill-conceived plan, which does not put real faces on the hard-working men and women who have dedicated their lives to providing high quality, timely, mail services throughout southern West Virginia.”
“I want to also note that I had immediately requested the Office of the Inspector General to thoroughly review this plan before implementation. They made a site visit to the Beckley post office last week and despite the fact that the report is not final, USPS officials are moving forward with their ‘chosen’ plan.”
Monday night, the United States Postal Service will hold a public meeting to ask for your input on the proposed move. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and will end about 9 p.m.
The meeting will also outline the findings of the study. According to a press release the move from Huntington to Charleston would save approximately $2,372,677. It would also result in approximately 38 jobs being cut.
Other changes would include possible rate changes for certain postal codes.
Speakers on both sides of the move will be present this evening at Huntington High School.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
But Huntington Postal Union leaders say the major move is already a done deal, creating major job and economic losses.
Postal officials say they want to see how removing some mail processing and transportation functions from Huntington's Virginia Avenue facility will impact the community.
For now, many Huntington postal employees are just guessing.
David Daniel, president of the Postal Workers Union, told Huntington City Council members Monday that the Huntington facility will be gutted. He said much of Huntington's mail service already has been transferred.
Daniel added that 20 recently retired workers have not been replaced, and the next move will move all mail processing to Charleston. He says that will force 50 to 55 mail clerks and sorters in Huntington to fight for only four Charleston job openings -- or travel elsewhere.
"It could be Fargo, N.D., or San Diego," Daniel said. "And if you don't decide in six months, they will decide for you."
Daniel says many in Huntington would get their mail a day later and that local businesses would lose their bulk mail discounts. He says Huntington economic development would take a major hit.
That's because companies want to locate where there's a regional mail distribution hub. Huntington City Council adopted a resolution opposing any mail move.
"They're so efficient here," Councilman Jim Ritter said. "They rank 22nd in the nation, and Charleston ranks more than 200th."
Both sides agree the Huntington mail carriers and customer service clerks will stay. Beyond that, though, it's a wait and see situation.
The U.S. Postal Service says it will hold public hearings within the next month or so on the possible operation move from Huntington to Charleston. Local postal workers say they hope those hearings are packed.
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