Ross questions USPS public hearing process

U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, says recent actions by the U.S. Postal Service create doubts as to the veracity of claims by the USPS that it considers public input when making decisions about closing facilities or changing service.

Ross on Tuesday (June 28) sent a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to request “a full accounting of the U.S. Postal Service’s review process for closing post offices.”

According to Ross, his office received a letter from the USPS on June 21 in which the service “mistakenly” announced that post offices in Boles, Ozan and Parks — all in Ross’ 4th Congressional District — would be closed. The June 21 USPS letter came before the closure process was complete and only days after public hearings were held.

Ross noted that the USPS mistake “makes it hard to believe that a simple clerical error was to blame. At best, it appears that letters were pre-prepared to notify of closures and the only error was the premature sending of the letters.” (The City Wire has asked the USPS for comment to Ross’ letter. We will update this story when the comment is received.)

As part of the full accounting, Ross requested that Donahoe explain “the actual role public hearings have in the Postal Service’s decision-making process to close post offices.”

The public deserves to know if the USPS public hearings on the closing of post offices are “simply to fulfill procedural requirements or if indeed the concerns of citizens are truly considered,” Ross wrote.

Continuing, Ross wrote: “(S)ome believe the Postal Service makes closure determinations without considering public comments and receipt of these letters gives credence to those concerns.”

Ross also asked for the name and title of all Postal Service employees who conducted each public hearing, why they were selected to participate in the meetings and their notes from those meetings.

Ross is not the first politician to question the process in which postal facilities are closed.

During a Feb. 24 hearing in Fort Smith about a USPS plan to move mail consolidation operations from Fort Smith to Fayetteville, Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders cast doubt on the willingness of the service to take into account the testimony of area citizens and the business community. Sanders also dismissed a study by Arkansas USPS Manager David Camp that suggested the service would save money by moving mail processing operations to Fayetteville.

“I question the credibility of the results,” Sanders said in February of Camp’s research, adding that he “does not fully trust” a process that does not allow postal workers and community leaders to see Camp’s data until after the Dallas office has reviewed it and made a recommendation.

On Monday, the USPS asked Congress for relief from $5.5 billion in annual benefit payments. Saying that the USPS is in “a dire financial predicament,” Board of Governors Chairman Louis Giuliano and Donahoe also asked Congress for the right to eliminate Saturday delivery.

USPS officials have said they wanted to obtain $2 billion in cost savings in fiscal year 2011, including a reduction of 40 million work hours. However, the report notes that rising fuel prices could offset many of the cost-cutting initiatives. According to the USPS letter, the agency has in the previous four fiscal years cut 110,000 “career positions” and “saved $12 billion in costs.” Eliminating Saturday delivery could save the USPS an estimated $1.7 billion annually.

The letter from U.S. Rep. Ross:
June 28, 2011
Dear Postmaster General Donahoe:

I am writing in response to recent erroneous documents sent to my office by the United States Postal Service regarding the proposed closure of several post offices in the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas. Three letters from District Manager David Camp dated June 21, 2011 stated that final determinations had been made to close post offices in Boles, Parks and Ozan, Arkansas. However, emails received by my staff on June 24, 2011 indicated the letters had been sent erroneously and were being retracted. Copies of the letters and emails are attached to this letter.

The erroneous letters have resulted in much consternation for myself and for the residents of the rural communities served by these post offices. The letters each noted that “the community’s input was received and carefully considered before making this decision. Ultimately, based on all the factors involved, the decision was made to proceed with the closure.”

However, some believe the Postal Service makes closure determinations without considering public comments and receipt of these letters gives credence to those concerns. In particular, I would like to note that each closure letter listed a nearby post office where full retail services would be available. This makes it hard to believe that a simple clerical error was to blame. At best, it appears that letters were pre-prepared to notify of closures and the only error was the premature sending of the letters.

Therefore, I am requesting a detailed accounting of how this miscommunication happened. This response should include whether closure letters are pre-written for post offices at which final determinations have not been officially made, and if not, at what point such letters are prepared.

In addition, I am requesting a written response indicating what factors are involved in decisions to proceed with closures and the level to which community input is taken into consideration. Furthermore, I am requesting transcripts of the public hearings to discuss potential closure of these three post offices and all other public hearings held in 2011 to discuss potential closure of any post offices, branches and other Postal Service facilities located in the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas. In conjunction, I am requesting any notes, whether typed or handwritten, from any Postal Service employees in attendance at these hearings or in subsequent private meetings to discuss proposed closures. Finally, I am requesting the name and title of all Postal Service employees who conducted each public hearing or were otherwise present in an official capacity, and why they were selected to participate in these important public meetings.

The people of Arkansas deserve to know whether these post offices have already been slated for closure but have not been formally announced due to procedural requirements, or whether the concerns of citizens are truly being considered. I believe the requested documentation will shed light on this issue. I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Mike Ross
Member of Congress