The Central Mass. Mail Processing Center in Shrewsbury. (Photo: Molly McCarthy)
By Molly McCarthy, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – Hundreds of supporters of the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) Central Mass. Processing and Distribution Center, located in Shrewsbury, attended a meeting Jan. 5 at the Marlborough Holiday Inn to discuss the future of the center.
In September 2006, Postmaster General/CEO Patrick R. Donahue proposed that the center, which employs about 500 people, the majority of whom reside in Worcester County, be put on the list for potential closure.
Recently the Greater Boston District Office completed its feasibility study of the center and submitted results to the Northeast Area office for consideration.
Charles Lynch, the greater Boston district manager, said the USPS lost $11 billion in 2011.
“And that was tempered somewhat because of the $5.5 billion funding pre-payment that we did not make was subtracted from our overall losses,” Lynch said.
“Whether we get some legislative relief or not, don’t be confused – that isn’t going to be enough,” he added. “I will tell you tonight if we do nothing as an organization, we will fail, all of us.”
The presentation consisted of mail-processing redesign, processing consolidation into fewer machines, closing or consolidating up to 252 mail-processing facilities, a service standard change proposal consisting of changes to overnight mailing options, first-class mailing standards, and standard and package mailing services.
Worcester City Councilor-at-Large Kate Toomey said she was concerned that changes to the facility would have an adverse effect on the center’s employees and their ability to find other suitable employment.
“While this facility has cut over 200,000 work hours since 2008, the mail volume has increased by 75 million pieces during that same period. This facility is operating in an efficient manner using updated equipment at a USPS-owned complex in very good condition. The USPS has already invested heavily in the infrastructure and equipment in this facility and the best return on this investment would be to continue with the operation of this complex,” Toomey said.
U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-3rd, expressed concern over the study’s recommendation to move the center to the Boston Processing and Distribution Center.
“It really puzzled me and stunned me because the Boston general mail facility is functionally obsolete and the [USPS] has acknowledged that time and time again,” McGovern said. “It makes no sense to incur the cost of relocating or rebuilding the [Shrewsbury facility] to another location.”
Shrewsbury Selectman Moira Miller advised the postal service managers to look closely at the short- and long-term impact that closing the facility would have on revenues for the town of Shrewsbury.
“Short term, there is the loss of revenue to our community from things like loss of electricity and water and those types of revenues that are extremely important, especially in these very difficult fiscal times when every bit of revenue coming into the town of Shrewsbury goes to support our local programs, our schools, our police, our fire, etc.,” Miller said.
Local 301 mail handler Tim Dwyer stated that “the reduction of service standards to reduce the rate of delivery service is spelling the death of the United States Post Office.”
Lynch stressed the decision to close the center was not final and will not be until Tuesday, May 15.
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