The United States Postal Service Wenatchee Carrier Annex may no longer be the hub for outgoing mail operations for Wenatchee processing and distribution, as operations may move to Spokane in the near future.
The United States Postal Service Wenatchee Carrier Annex may no longer be the hub for outgoing mail operations for Wenatchee processing and distribution, as operations may move to Spokane in the near future.
An image provided by American Postal Workers Union Local 751 Wenatchee president and Washington State American Postal Workers Union president, Ryan Harris, shows changes to the Wenatchee Processing & Distribution Center. This timeline was not confirmed by the U.S. Postal Service.
The United States Postal Service Wenatchee Carrier Annex may no longer be the hub for outgoing mail operations for Wenatchee processing and distribution, as operations may move to Spokane in the near future.
Spokesperson for USPS, Kimberly Frum, wrote in an email the information will be available publicly once a final decision has been made. Public input and comment on the changes began on Nov. 13 and closed on Thursday.
On Dec. 7 around four USPS workers picketed to draw attention to the proposed changes and ask the public to provide input following a USPS public meeting on Nov. 29 in the Wenatchee Public Library. The proposal moves operations from the Wenatchee facility, at 3075 Ohme Road, to Spokane and is expected to help save USPS money.
Frum said on Monday no decisions or a timeline was finalized.
An image provided by American Postal Workers Union Local 751 Wenatchee president and Washington State American Postal Workers Union president, Ryan Harris, shows changes to the Wenatchee Processing & Distribution Center. This timeline was not confirmed by the U.S. Postal Service.
However, American Postal Workers Union Local 751 Wenatchee president and Washington State American Postal Workers Union president, Ryan Harris, sent what he said was a USPS document to The Wenatchee World that appeared to be a timeline of the Wenatchee facility possibly changing to Spokane on March 5. Harris also said the changes could come as soon as February.
Frum said Harris and his union position is not a “reliable, official postal source.”
If operations change, Harris said it would mean at least a one-day delay in delivery for outgoing mail for zip codes beginning with 9-8-8 because it would need to be processed in Spokane.
USPS representatives at the public meeting also confirmed at least four employees would be transitioned into different roles elsewhere.
Mail manager at the Wenatchee post office on Maple Street, Wayne Chocola, declined to comment on the proposed changes.
The United States Postal Service Wenatchee Carrier Annex may no longer be the hub for outgoing mail operations for Wenatchee processing and distribution, as operations may move to Spokane in the near future.
Moving operations to Spokane could create problems during election periods because postmarking would take longer, according to Douglas County Auditor Thad Duvall.
“When close to the election, we recommend people use county dropboxes. If not, (they) run the risk of not getting postmarked on time,” Duvall said.
He said using dropboxes is advised every year to ensure ballots are received on time and it would be the same advice given regardless of county size.
Duvall’s office has planned how to tackle the situation, he added. One concern is any unforeseen mail interruptions, he said, and receiving ballots later might make processing longer on the backend.
Inquiries to Chelan County Auditor Skip Moore were not immediately returned, but he raised similar concerns to Duvall’s during the USPS’ public meeting.
“Mail-in ballots are very important... any process that we put in place that is going to add even half a day’s time is very concerning,” Moore said Nov. 29.
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