Congressman Larsen Lobbies to Keep Everett, WA Postal Facility Open

Congressman Rick Larsen today released a letter he’s written to the Postmaster General asking that the Mail Processing Facility on Hardeson Road not be closed. Here’s the contents of that letter…

November 9, 2011

The Honorable Patrick R. Donahoe
Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer
United States Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW
Washington DC 20260-0010

Dear Mr. Postmaster General:

I am writing to share with you my support to maintain the operation of the Everett Area Mail Processing Facility in Everett, Washington.

I recently visited this facility and was impressed with the professionalism, tenacious work ethic, and commitment to excellence of the employees there. The approximately 310 employees manage more than 1 million pieces of mail daily. The loss of this facility would render many of these dedicated people unemployed or forced to relocate from their homes.

In addition to the troubling employment loss, the level of service to the region would greatly diminish should this facility close. Losing the single day turnaround of letters in and around western Washington would be a blow to the high standards of the United States Postal Service. I believe this would also put the USPS at a competitive disadvantage regionally because customers may turn to other sources for single day turnaround needs.

After reviewing the USPS’s Area Mail Processing study, some of the estimated cost savings calculations remain unclear. I believe that some of the calculations only address the cost savings of the facility fully closing. It did not appear to make considerations for the cost shift of processing the mail at another facility; did not take into account the possibility of the facility remaining open as a hub only and the maintenance and custodial costs associated with that portion remaining open; or the possibility that other assets may be moved to this location. The true costs associated with the considered closure remain nebulous.

While it may be outside the scope of the Area Mail Processing study, I am also concerned about the costs to the western Washington region should the facility close. Hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses depend on this facility for efficient turnaround. The full costs of the loss of this resource to the community do not seem to have been adequately taken into account.

I urge you to consider these factors and possibilities, which should support a decision to maintain operations at the Everett Area Mail Processing Facility.

Sincerely,

Rick Larsen
United States Congressman
Washington State, 2nd District

The Postal Service has scheduled a public meeting for tomorrow night at the Snohomish PUD headquarters at 2320 California Street in Downtown Everett at 6:00pm to discuss the plan to close the processing facility as a way to cut costs. The Hardeson site is one of several being considered for closure in Washington State.

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