Columbia mail distribution center may close

Possible cuts by the US Postal Service may mean a longer wait for people to get their mail and a loss of jobs in Mid-Missouri. A plan by the government could close the mail processing and distribution center at the Columbia Regional Airport and force people’s mail to go through either St. Louis or Kansas City.

A lot of money could be saved from the plan, but it could also drastically affect the community. “I think its just better to remain it as it is because and people just want their mail to arrive as fast as possible,” said Asma Abusaif.

She goes to the post office twice a week to take care of her mail and said receiving mail fast is important to her and the community.

However, getting mail fast could soon change.

“If they close this facility you stamp it, you put it in the mail; it’s going to take a little drive to St. Louis for two to three days before it comes back to Columbia for delivery,” said Jim Marsden who works for the postal service and is the president of the Central Missouri Postal Workers Union.

The study for this proposal said it will save over $4 Million dollars, but will result in a loss of 42 jobs. Some people in Columbia think this is a necessary cut.

“I used to work for the post office and they’re good people and I am sorry to see them unemployed, but better that we keep the post office and lose some jobs than lose the post office,” said Bill Hastings who uses the Columbia Post Office.

The postal service said the current economic conditions have caused a drop in the amount of mail and it has more employees and equipment in some processing centers than it needs.

They said this change won’t affect delivery times, but local workers don’t agree.

“There’s not going to be a facility that’s worked at for that mail to come back the next day,” said Marsden.

He claims the community will have to wait longer because Mid-Missouri mail won’t be processed until the bigger cities have gone through their own mail. “Two to three days before mail will come back to Columbia, or come back to Boonville, or come back to Excello, or to Lake Ozark. And I think that is unacceptable,” said Marsden.

While the postal service and local workers have different opinions on what should happen, people in the community don’t agree either.

“I think the faster the better. I think people would want their mail to arrive as fast as possible so if it just remains in Columbia, that would be the best for everyone,” said Abusaif.

“As long as they can save the post office it’s a minor problem I think we can live with,” said Hastings.

The Postal Workers Union said this plan could lead to closing other processing plants across the country. The local union is holding a public meeting on March 29th at the Stoney Creek Inn at 4:30 P.M. to give more information on the affects they said this could cause.

The US Postal Service is will also be holding a public meeting on April 2nd to explain this study.