Gaylord's mail processing center is on the chopping block -- USPS hopes to save $3.3 million by closing it
GAYLORD, MI -- The United States Postal Service plans to close the Gaylord mail processing center and move operations to Traverse City.
Thursday night, community members and post office supporters had a chance to have their voices heard.
About 75 people were at Gaylord High School to hear the postal service's plan to take drastic measures to cut into the $10-billion deficit it faces.
"This slide depicts the dramatic change that has occurred with primarily first class mail, due to primarily the use of technology," said Nancy Reltinhouse, the USPS Great Lakes District Manager.
The USPS said it clear and blunt: changes have to be made for the postal service to stay in business.
They’ve completed a feasibility study at the Gaylord processing center and the USPS believes it could save $3.3 million a year to move services to Traverse City.
But that comes at a price. Mail delivery could end up taking a day longer.
"We’ve worked hard in improving our ability to meet that overnight commitment in those overnight service areas. And that's a change for us," said Reltinhouse.
Plus thousands of jobs nation-wide, including 25 in Gaylord, could be lost. The rest of the jobs would be relocated.
Postal workers say it's a bad move.
"I can't understand, if our business is service, we can go to a two to three day instead of overnight and expect our customers to pay a premium and get worse service? It doesn't make sense to me," said Amy Owen, a postal worker.
"Let’s make it two to three, lets make it less valuable, it's a bad idea, from top down," said Scott Cheney, an employee.
"You are going to inconvenience this community and all of my workers so you can put something on your resume, it's going to cost the postal service money!" said John Marcotte, the Michigan Postal Workers Union President.
One woman says she sends out millions of pieces of mail each year for her business and the move would hurt.
Others say the Gaylord community would suffer.
"We need these jobs in Gaylord, we can ill-afford you to ship these to Traverse City," said Russ Soffredine, a Gaylord resident.
"We’re talking about running out of cash by maybe next summer, if nothing changes," said USPS Spokesperson Jim Mruk.
While the findings of the study are just in the preliminary phase right now, the postal service says the move could be made quickly, and as early as the beginning of 2012, the Gaylord processing center could be closed.
The comments made at Thursday night’s meeting will be discussed at the district level, and if the plan is still approved, it must finalized in Washington DC.
The USPS believes they can save three-billion dollars a year by closing processing centers nation-wide.
