U.S. Postal Service: Local mail processing moving to St. Cloud

The U.S. Postal Service has decided to move mail processing operations from Bemidji to St. Cloud.

In a press release issued Monday afternoon, the Postal Service said it has decided to move mail processing operations from the Bemidji Customer Service Mail Processing Center to the St. Cloud Processing and Distribution Facility.

“Given the drastic 20 percent decline in mail volume the Postal Service has experienced since 2007, we must take action to reduce the size of our mail processing network,” Northland District Manager Anthony Williams said in the release. “Consolidating operations and placing our people where we need them is necessary if the Postal Service is to remain viable to provide mail service to the nation.”

The transition is expected to be completed by July. Some employees may be reassigned.

“I understand our employees’ concern over this move,” Williams said in the release, “but the consolidation makes sense given the fiscal realities. The St. Cloud facility has the capacity to handle the additional workload and we can realize significant savings by shifting operations there.”

The Postal Service began studying the potential for such a move in September.

“This move will not cause any changes in local mail delivery,” Williams said. “Letters mailed to local addresses will be delivered the next day, the same as before. I am confident the transition will be smooth and transparent to our customers and they will continue to receive the same excellent service they always have.”

There will be no change in service standards for local mail service, according to the Postal Service.

“The significant cost savings and productivity gains expected from this consolidation were deciding factors in making this very difficult decision,” Williams said.

Full retail services will still be available at the Bemidji Post Office.

The Bemidji Business Mail Entry Unit will remain open for large-volume business mailers. Mailers who prepare destination entry rate mailings for ZIP Code Area 566 will deposit their drop shipment mailings at the St. Cloud Processing and Distribution Facility, 517 10th Ave. S., Waite Park, Minn.