Critical Sioux City postal service study now completed
By Bret Hayworth Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, January 20, 2006
A study that could lead to the closing of a mail distribution center in Sioux City is in the hands of a U.S. Postal Service official, and no timeline for a decision is known.
Members of the American Postal Workers Union Local 186 fear the Sioux City mail processing and distribution center could be closed, with the work handled by a Sioux Falls center. That could mean the loss of about 100 jobs in the city, and slower delivery times for Siouxland residents, union officials contend.
On Wednesday, the Iowa Senate unanimously passed a resolution encouraging postal officials to keep the processing center in Sioux City. On Thursday, the Iowa House followed suit, and House Speaker Christopher Rants of Sioux City, like a lot of other lawmakers in positions of influence, sent a letter to postal officials.
It may be too late. Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Debi Durham said the study has been signed off by Sioux City Postmaster Virginia Rohrback and is in the hands of Denver-based USPS Western Area Operations Vice President Sylvester Black.
Durham complained there is a lack of public information about the mail processing study. "We can't even figure out the scope of the study," or whether it is a public document, she said.
The Chamber sent a letter to Black asking to meet with him, but he declined the offer. In response, Black wrote that the U.S. Postal Service Area Processing (AMP) feasibility study will be used "to determine if there are ways to improve operational efficiency. At this time, we are only conducting a study in Sioux City -- basically, we're collecting and analyzing data. No decisions have been made."
Black wrote that if the Sioux City AMP does "identify need for improvement in our mail processing operations, the community will be notified." Said Durham, "At that point it is too late."
Neither Rohrback nor Black could be reached late Thursday. American Postal Workers Union Local 186 member Don Stusse said Rohrback "has signed off on it. I have requested the study, and she said that we have to go through Sioux Falls, that she doesn't have it locally."
Stusse, who has worked for the postal service for 22 years, is hoping a national union official in Kansas City can get the AMP report from Denver. "I really wanted to get it as soon as possible," he said, especially so Chamber officials could have it in hand next week for a possible trip to Washington, D.C., to do more networking on the issue.
"I've heard rumors of what (the AMP report) entails," Stusse said. "I believe the study says we will lose some of our processing." The work would likely go to Sioux Falls, he contended.
From a financial perspective, Stusse said, the USPS could be misguided in the move, since Sioux Falls would need money to upgrade facilities. "I think the postal service could put that investment into Sioux City rather than Sioux Falls," he said. "It doesn't seem fair."
Stusse said any decision made at the Denver office won't be the final word, that USPS officials in Washington have final say. Therefore he encouraged Siouxlanders to contact Iowa federal lawmakers to exercise their clout on the distribution/processing center matter.
The union will hold a meeting on Sunday, but may not send members on any Washington lobbying trip. Stusse said the Chamber will do a good job of advocating for keeping the center in Sioux City.
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
Members of the American Postal Workers Union Local 186 fear the Sioux City mail processing and distribution center could be closed, with the work handled by a Sioux Falls center. That could mean the loss of about 100 jobs in the city, and slower delivery times for Siouxland residents, union officials contend.
On Wednesday, the Iowa Senate unanimously passed a resolution encouraging postal officials to keep the processing center in Sioux City. On Thursday, the Iowa House followed suit, and House Speaker Christopher Rants of Sioux City, like a lot of other lawmakers in positions of influence, sent a letter to postal officials.
It may be too late. Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Debi Durham said the study has been signed off by Sioux City Postmaster Virginia Rohrback and is in the hands of Denver-based USPS Western Area Operations Vice President Sylvester Black.
Durham complained there is a lack of public information about the mail processing study. "We can't even figure out the scope of the study," or whether it is a public document, she said.
The Chamber sent a letter to Black asking to meet with him, but he declined the offer. In response, Black wrote that the U.S. Postal Service Area Processing (AMP) feasibility study will be used "to determine if there are ways to improve operational efficiency. At this time, we are only conducting a study in Sioux City -- basically, we're collecting and analyzing data. No decisions have been made."
Black wrote that if the Sioux City AMP does "identify need for improvement in our mail processing operations, the community will be notified." Said Durham, "At that point it is too late."
Neither Rohrback nor Black could be reached late Thursday. American Postal Workers Union Local 186 member Don Stusse said Rohrback "has signed off on it. I have requested the study, and she said that we have to go through Sioux Falls, that she doesn't have it locally."
Stusse, who has worked for the postal service for 22 years, is hoping a national union official in Kansas City can get the AMP report from Denver. "I really wanted to get it as soon as possible," he said, especially so Chamber officials could have it in hand next week for a possible trip to Washington, D.C., to do more networking on the issue.
"I've heard rumors of what (the AMP report) entails," Stusse said. "I believe the study says we will lose some of our processing." The work would likely go to Sioux Falls, he contended.
From a financial perspective, Stusse said, the USPS could be misguided in the move, since Sioux Falls would need money to upgrade facilities. "I think the postal service could put that investment into Sioux City rather than Sioux Falls," he said. "It doesn't seem fair."
Stusse said any decision made at the Denver office won't be the final word, that USPS officials in Washington have final say. Therefore he encouraged Siouxlanders to contact Iowa federal lawmakers to exercise their clout on the distribution/processing center matter.
The union will hold a meeting on Sunday, but may not send members on any Washington lobbying trip. Stusse said the Chamber will do a good job of advocating for keeping the center in Sioux City.
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
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