Postal service considering move of Cheyenne sorting facility

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is trying to revamp their antiquated service to help with customer service, saving money and bringing the service into the 21st century.

The program they are using to do this is called the Mail Processing Facility Review (MPFR). This study determines the feasibility of changing mail processing operations to improve operational efficiency and/or service. An MPFR involves the consolidation of all originating and/or destinating distribution operations from one or more Post Offices /Facilities into other automated processing facilities for the purpose of improving operational efficiency and/or service. The USPS held a Town Hall meeting at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 12 at Laramie County Community College to present their findings.

The meeting was intended to present the recommendations of this review to the public and to get the public’s response to the review. Numerous citizens from the city of Cheyenne were there as well as citizens from Encampment, Hillsdale and Pine Bluffs. Additionally, Cheyenne City Council member Dr. Mitchell Aldridge was also there. Errol (Tony) Wilson, president of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) for the State of Wyoming, Robert Jacknitsky vice president and Ricci Roberts of the union were also in attendance. James Boxrud of the Postal Service mediated the meeting.

Boxrud started off the meeting by saying, “No final decision has been made as to the future of the mail distribution center in Cheyenne.”

He added, “recommendations and suggestions have been made and forwarded to the upper management but there has been no final decision made by management.”

Boxrud stated that this was “not a question-and-answer session but a meeting to get public comments and the proposed actions by the postal service.”

He then introduced Beau Meyer, Division Manager of Operations Support for the postal service. Meyer stated the “facility in question is not closing.” The possibility exists there may be some excess employee positions that may be dissolved but that those personnel affected will not be laid off. They will be offered other positions available within the postal service to keep them employed.” Altogether, he said, “there were eight positions affected by this move” The postal service brought no facts or figures with them that would help to enhance their recommendations on the changing of the postal service, only what the estimated savings is to be to the postal service.

In a nutshell the postal service is looking to move all envelope and flat mail sorting down to the Denver facility. That would mean that a letter sent from the city of Cheyenne, or any other outlying cities or townships would be sorted by their post office, then sent to Cheyenne, then sent to Denver where it would be sorted to its destination and then sent back to Cheyenne to be sent to its destination city/township and then delivered. This action is said to save the postal service millions of dollars a year. After the presentation by Meyer, Boxrud opened the floor up for public comments. Neither Meyer nor Boxrud responded to any of the public comments.

Several of the citizens were concerned about the added time it would take to get their mail. Additionally, it was believed the road conditions both in the winter and windy conditions of the routes could cause undue delays. Most were in disbelief with the number of personnel that this move would affect the facility. They thought it would be much higher. The representative from Encampment was concerned with the amount of time it would take some of the elderly citizens to get their medicines or other vital equipment and medical supplies that rely on the postal service for delivery.

A few members currently employed by the postal service were concerned the postal service would offer employment to those excess employees outside of the Cheyenne area, forcing them to move. A Cheyenne small business owner pointed out there were plans for several large companies to start new businesses in Cheyenne and the growth of the city in people and businesses would require the need for a full-service postal facility.

Aldridge then spoke on the needs of the small businesses of the city and the lost time and revenue of sending out mail and packages. The delays in getting these items to their customers could potentially cause them to stop ordering and lose business and money.

Additional comments were made about the Denver facility already being in the news about not being able to handle their current load of mail. Truck loads of mail being lost in their lot, packages being damaged or not getting to their destinations until months after being mailed. Questions were being raised about saving money by adding additional routes and trucks to the delivery service.

After all the comments were heard Boxrud turned the floor over to Wilson, President of the NPMHU of Wyoming for closing comments.

Wilson said, “This move is not customer service oriented but driven by funds.”

He believes that every postal customer will see longer delivery times and a drop-in mail customer service. He also echoed the concerns of all the members present at the loss of jobs, cost of the renovations and delay in postal deliveries. He also agrees, “there could be no savings to the postal service by adding additional trucks, routes and travel and only affecting eight jobs in the facility.”

You can view the postal service report at https://about.usps.com/what/strateoic-plans/mpfridocuments/initialsfindings-cheyenne-wy-11-29-23.rtf. If you would like to make a comment you can submit your comments to: https//www.surveymonkey.com/rimpfr-cheyenne-wy

by Jim Merryfield,

Pine Bluffs Post