Dimond Post Office Taken Off USPS Closure List

Community celebration Saturday Oct.24, 11AM-2:30PM in front of post office.

The announcement that our Dimond Post Office will remain open was made by Gus Ruiz, Corporate Communications Manager for the Postal Service, at the Save Our Dimond Post Office committee meeting this evening.

Mr. Ruiz was accompanied by Elly Loose, District Finance Manager, and Romy DeGuzman, Manager of Customer Services Operations in Oakland. He made the announcement on behalf of Mr. Kim Fernandez, District Manager of the Postal Service Bay-Valley District. Mr. Ruiz commented that the District has been impressed by the involvement of the Dimond community in working to save the Dimond Post Office. Several components entered into the final decision, which was finalized this week, and the Save Our Dimond Post Office campaign did have impact.

In her correspondence with the Save Our Dimond Post Office campaign, Postmaster Lowana Gooch said the “voice of the Dimond Community has been heard and recognized”. The final count of signatures on petitions totaled 7,015.

Dimond is off the list of post offices/branches being considered for consolidation/closure. The updated list will probably be published by the Postal Service on Friday 10/16.

There was applause and cheering by the committee when this announcement was made.

A community celebration will take place in front of the Dimond Post Office on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 11AM – 2:30PM.

Appreciation to everyone who helped on this campaign and to everyone who took the time to circulate and sign a petition.

The Save Our Dimond Post Office campaign started in mid-July and a timeline of activity can be seen at the Dimond Library, concluding with the successful outcome that was announced this evening by the Postal Service. This is a terrific example of community working together toward a common goal.

We Saved Our Dimond Post Office!

Hearing between Postal Regulatory Commission and US Postal Service.

Re: PRC Docket N2009-1

Station and Branch Optimization and Consolidation Initiative, 2009

Hearing drama between Postal Regulatory Commission and US Postal Service. These are my rough notes from the hearing on PRC Docket N2009-1 on 9/30/09

To see Save Our Dimond Post Office hearing comment posted by

Leslie Jones, co-chair of SODPO, click here, or go to PRC website:  www.prc.gov
Click on Daily Listings, 9/29/09

Official transcript of this 9/30 hearing will be posted in a couple of weeks on PRC website.  (USPS: Postal Service) (Ruth Goldway is PRC Chairman) Participants: commissioners and PRC attorneys, Postal Service representatives and PS attorneys, intervenors and attorneys, etc. Did not get all names.
(Washington DC humor: Early exchange in hearing about misspell in one of the field hearing transcripts: “pot offices” should be “post offices”, and reference was jokingly made about California.)

Per Postal Service:
No exact date when updated closure list will be published.  Waiting for updated list from Post Office.

It is local management (postmaster and district manager) that is making recommendations to close post offices. No definitive “studies” or criteria ; closures based on local management knowledge of customer patterns:

“Rely on local managers and district managers to determine need”.
Recommendations then go to US Postal Service Headquarters for final decision.

Closures are “not a cost saving measure” but rather an opportunity to look at

and change Postal Service infrastructure

Postal Service primarily looking to have retail access in fewer locations

Customers are now using alternate methods: “our customers through their behavior like transacting postal business at other places”.

There is a set “discontinuance” procedure; district managers have been trained

to follow this procedure.

Questions/comments: (rough notes; final transcript will be available on PRC website in a couple of weeks).  This hearing was based on testimony, witness transcripts, etc and has been continuing over a 4-month public process.

All prior testimony is available on PRC website.

Comments concerned about the lack of adequate closure “criteria”.  Many questions/comments addressed this lack of definitive criteria.

Importance ofstreet collection boxes; Postal Service stated these boxes are

not part of this Docket N2009-1 however Goldway confirmed the importance

of collection boxes especially with decreased services and asked for a “collection

box contact” within 7 days, since PS representatives could not answer questions.

Did Postal Service develop methodology of loss of revenue?
Postal Service response: PS assumes revenue will move to an alternate PS

venue so no methodology regarding loss was developed

Did Postal Service consider to notify (property) lessors?

PS: “Not something considered”

It will be expensive and inconvenient for people who rent mail boxes (letterhead, travel time, changing address). For customers who use post office boxes

isn’t this a reduction in service? Postal Service response: community will

have the opportunity to respond to notice.

Since the Postal Service might be considering some changes to the way this process has been implemented, will the PS go back and re-consider when

new guidelines are implemented. Seems like the answer was probably not.

Post Office Closure Notification
The local postmaster and district manager will give notice to postal customers

if a post office is scheduled to close.  An announcement posted inside a post office. Notification will also be presented at a community meeting called by the Postal Service and/or questionnaire in the post office. Classified ads in newspapers will be placed in some communities. The public has 10 business days to respond. If a post office is scheduled for closure, the Postal Service will provide alternative suggestions for Postal Service locations.

Public representative for PRC Robert Sidwell, asked the Postal Service to make public the following information: if a post office is taken off the closure list,

why was it removed from the list?
Chairman Goldway said this request will be included in the PRC requests to the Postal Service.

Kathleen Russell

Save Our Dimond Post Office Co-Chair

krussell@russell-gordon.com)

Save Our Dimond Post Office

Total of 6,956 signatures on petitions have been 

mailed to Postal Service representatives and 

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (9th District) in an effort 

to remove Dimond Post Office from the Postal Service review list. 


The Postal Service will publish an updated list on Oct.2. 
Thank you to champion petitioners Carrie, Tina, and Duane.  
Thank you to all who circulated petitions to help 
“Save Our Dimond Post Office”.

Postal Regulatory Commission Meeting Notes

 

From Kathleen Russell to SODPO group… Following are my rough notes after listening to the hearing this morning…I suggest we discuss adding PRC Commission and appropriate USPS contact to our program…we can discuss on Thurs Aug 6.

To follow updates on this process go to www.prc.gov/prc-pages 

This is the site of the Postal Regulatory Commission

Background:
July 10,2009: PRC issued Order #244 establishing Docket N2009-1 for public hearing on US Postal Service: “Station and Branch Optimization and Consolidation Initiative”.  The Postal Service has advised it will examine 3200 postal stations and branches nationwide for possible closure or curtailment and that an additional 1600 stations and branches could likewise be reviewed.

“The Commission proceeding provides a transparent on the record process to ensure that any nationwide changes in postal service are consistent with the Postal Service’s obligation to provide prompt, reliable and efficient postal services to customers in all areas and to all communities.”

What I understood in listening to the hearing on July 30, 2009:  (lasted about 45 minutes)

The US Postal Service would like to move forward quickly on this program.

Commissioners and representatives of various groups  (American postal workers union, national league of postmasters and lessors, non-profit mailers, for-profit advertising mailers) would like more discovery and information.

Commissioners commented this is a major undertaking that will have far reaching impact on employees, customers, community and landlords/property.  This move will impact both communities already hard-hit by recession and thriving communities.  Commissions would like public participation in the process with a transparent review, including vigorous public impact.

Mr. Anderson, American postal workers union representative, was vocal in suggesting there needs to be a discovery process as actions can compromise important services for the community and cases of real need.  He said the Commission has the opportunity to make sure, in the interest of the public, that correct procedures are followed and requests two rounds of discovery, which would take approximately 6 months.  

(At this point I am sure the US Postal Service inhaled as they are thinking this is a fast track process.  I am not sure what oversight the PRC has on USPS decisions…)

Mr. Holly (sp?), US Postal Service, suggested a 6-month discovery is “a lot longer than Post Office expected”
Recognizes there is some issue of public input and will refer this to lead counsel. (Meaning they do not plan on taking 6 months of discovery?)

Commissioner Ruth Goldway: to Mr. Anderson (union rep): there are other ways the Post Office customers can access services via internet….there may not be time to debate but agrees information is important.

Important comments made during the discussion:
Major impact with loss of jobs for postal employees
Postal customers might switch to other businesses (instead of post office) to fulfill mailing needs
Potential impact on other business; loss in profit centers in neighborhoods
Major hardship on elderly
Travel time for carriers when carrier activities are centralized to another location
Wait time at neighboring PO (this will result in loss of business for PO)

(My comment: this closure of post office has a huge impact on the future of the PO as we know it; they may be launching their own demise)

Mr Holly (sp?), (US Postal service) response:  Post Office will be filing a list of 600-700 offices (today?) which are on the closure list and will continue accessing other offices.  
(I will try to find this list but cannot work on it until tomorrow.)

Mr Principe (sp?) (national league of postmasters/lessors): PO leases about 40% of property; concern about lack of communication with lessor organization; they requested a list mid-June with no response.  Concern that overzealous postal district managers might hasten to close branches.  Property lessors need info before closures are enacted.  Suggests Post Office cannot just autonomously close branches.  The post offices are critical to citizens not only for (stamp products), but also for parcels, money orders, overnight services, return receipts, etc.

Part II:
Commission (?) will proceed on public hearings outside of Washington DC. Hearings in September (?)

Post Office will issue an advisory on Oct 2, 2009.

Question raised (but not answered):  How is public able to participate in pre-screening closure process?

Pre-Hearing adjourned.

I sent an email to the commission office about public input…

To be continued….