The office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio issued the following press release:
February 18, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown called for an investigation on the effects of a proposed consolidation of U.S. Postal Service facilities in Lima. In a letter sent this week to David C. Williams, the Inspector General of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), Brown requested more information on the Area Mail Processing (AMP) Study that is being conducted in the Lima area.
“I remain concerned that USPS simply cannot maintain an adequate level of service if the consolidations occur, which would only serve to reduce the use of USPS in Ohio,” Brown wrote in a letter to Williams. “In addition to a degraded level of service, this consolidation could displace many workers and their families. Not only could many Postal Workers be forced to move great distances to preserve their jobs, but they would leave a social and economic void in the communities from which they have been uprooted.”
AMP studies investigate the potential to streamline USPS services by consolidating service locations. Brown previously requested data on the effect of an AMP decision. He wrote to the Inspector General to formally request that data, and express concern over the effect of an AMP decision on Lima families.
Full text of the letter appears below:
February 16, 2010
Inspector General David C. Williams
United States Postal Service
1735 N. Lynn St.
Arlington, VA 22209-2020
Dear Inspector General Williams:
I am writing in regard to the ongoing Area Mail Processing (AMP) Study in Lima, Ohio.
Over the past four months, I have raised a number of issues with the United States Postal Service (USPS) in Ohio about the proposed consolidation of USPS facilities in Lima. I remain concerned that USPS simply cannot maintain an adequate level of service if the consolidations occur, which would only serve to reduce the use of USPS in Ohio. In addition to a degraded level of service, this consolidation could displace many workers and their families. Not only could many Postal Workers be forced to move great distances to preserve their jobs, but they would leave a social and economic void in the communities from which they have been uprooted.
I have asked the Ohio USPS for data and analysis that would shed light on the impact of the consolidations, and have received neither. I am therefore formally requesting the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General conduct an audit of the AMP study in Lima, Ohio.
Please review this request and provide me with your comments. If you wish to discuss this request, please contact me or Patrick Jackson from my staff at (202) 224-2315.
Thank you for your attention to this request.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
United States Senator