Fears about the possible closure or downgrade of Charleston’s mail processing facility, a development that would have impacted mail delivery service across the state, were apparently unfounded.
Area lawmakers on Thursday said the Charleston mail processing facility will remain open, and some of those lawmakers took credit for the development.
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his team listened to the concerns of West Virginia citizens and worked with lawmakers to find a solution.
“After months of hard negotiating, I am pleased to report that the Charleston Processing and Distribution Center will no longer transition into a local processing center and will receive the millions of dollars needed to better meet the demands of our community," Manchin said Thursday in a statement that also took credit for saving the postal facility. "It never made economic sense to send our mail from Charleston to Pennsylvania and then back to West Virginia, and I commend the union for fighting for their members and all West Virginians throughout this process. I also want to thank all the West Virginians that submitted public comments and spent their Valentine’s Day at a public meeting making their voices heard. The postal service is a critical part of connecting every corner of the Mountain State as they deliver essential services to West Virginians regardless of zip code. This especially includes our seniors and veterans who live in rural communities and desperately rely on the USPS for life-saving medications and hard-earned federal benefits."
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said the fight continues to ensure that mail delivery will continue uninterrupted in the Mountain State.
“I am pleased about the news that USPS will now maintain additional mail processes than previously planned at the Charleston facility," Capito said in a prepared statement. "While this is a win for West Virginia’s mail service, I still have concerns that need to be addressed. Not only do many West Virginians work at this facility, but others depend on it for reliable and timely mail delivery, which is why it is important that the facility is maintained with its current operations or with enhanced services. As I have conveyed directly to Postmaster DeJoy throughout this entire process, I am hopeful that USPS will continue to reevaluate its future plans to better serve West Virginians."
U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., said the mail processing facility will not only stay open, but also see $22.8 million in improvements.
“I am pleased to hear that after months of hard work and advocacy, the USPS has announced that the Charleston Postal facility will continue its local mail processing operations and receive $22.8 million from the USPS to allow for better, more efficient services," Miller added in a prepared statement. "This decision ensures that West Virginians in rural areas who rely on the postal service will have quicker access to their life-saving medication and veterans who depend on the postal service will receive their hard-earned federal benefits."
Back in 2011, the mail processing facility formerly located on Cumberland Road in Bluefield was closed and consolidated, a development that negatively impacted mail delivery service across the deep south counties.
At the time, the federal government argued that the closure and consolidation of Bluefield’s Mail Processing and Distribution Center would save the postal service $2.1 million a year. The hours of operation for a number of smaller post offices across the region also were reduced a number of years ago.