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LAS CRUCES - At least for now, it's a philosophical question being asked by U.S. Postal Service officials: "Should the processing of mail continue to be done in Las Cruces or should operations be consolidated and moved to El Paso?"
The Postal Service has begun an evaluation, called the Area Mail Processing study, to answer that question. The study is expected to take several months to complete and its results will be used by the Postal Service to determine if mail processing in Las Cruces should be moved to the El Paso Processing and Distribution Center.
The proposal didn't give Las Cruces residents the warm and fuzzies.
"I think it would be a terrible idea," said Myron Gallagher, a retired autoworker who has lived in Las Cruces for about seven years. "Mail gets lost and messed up enough as it already is without sending it someplace else for processing and sorting before coming here. I just think it would increase our chances for getting our mail lost, misplaced or delayed because of the (proposed) process."
Charlotte Espinoza, a Las Cruces billing clerk who uses the mail on a daily basis to send bills and collect payments, said she's troubled with the proposal.
"Are they going to look at all aspects of their business?" Espinoza asked. "Delivery seems to be a lot slower, a lot less effective because of 'consolidation,' as they call it. Every time the Post Office consolidates, it seems their overall service gets worse. I'm concerned these changes would only make
Currently, an average of 40,000 pieces of mail are processed and delivered every day in Las Cruces. But U.S. Postal Service spokesman Stephen Seewoester said the need for the study comes as the Postal Service faces one of the most difficult challenges in its history.
A combination of continued Internet diversion - with more and more people using the Web to send e-mail, cards and other correspondence that used to go through the post office - and a global recession that has continued for about three years and has led to a drastic decline in the volume of mail processed and delivered, and that has prompted Postal Service officials to consider alternatives for saving money.
"We're down 43 billion pieces in the last five years," said Seewoester, of the fewer pieces of mail that have been processed and delivered by the Postal Service. "...As a business, and as any business would, we're always looking for opportunities to reduce costs."
According to the Postal Service, the processing and delivery of mail done by the Postal Service dropped nearly 236 billion pieces in the past year. Mail volume is projected to fall another 11 billion pieces this year.
"As a result of the volume loss, we have more facilities, equipment and people than we need to process a declining volume of mail," said Matthew B. Lopez, Albuquerque district manager. "We have to reduce the size of our network because we are no longer receiving enough revenue to sustain its cost.
Even when the economy fully recovers, the Postal Service does not expect mail volume to return to previous peak levels, and is projecting annual deficits for the foreseeable future.
"That is why we're doing this study," Lopez said. "Consolidating processing operations and placing our people where we need them makes logical business sense given the economic realities. We're only doing what any company would do when it's hit with a 13 percent decline in its business in one year."
The study will involve a review of mail processing and transportation operations to determine capacity needs at a facility in order to increase efficiency and improve productivity. If the study supports the business case for changing mail processing operations, Postal Service officials would conduct a public meeting to allow residents to ask questions and provide feedback.
The Postal Service is also accepting public input as part of the study process. Comments can be sent to: Consumer Affairs Manager, 500 Marquette Ave. NW, Albuquerque, N.M. 87102-9999
"I want to assure everyone that we will not make any changes to our operations that would cause delays in your mail service," Lopez said.
Steve Ramirez can be reached at (575) 541-5452.
Post offices
•According the U.S. Postal Service, there are three U.S. post offices in Las Cruces, at 201 E. Las Cruces Ave., (575) 524-2903; at 1180 Commerce Drive, (575) 521-4953; and at Business Products Center, 840 El Paseo Road.
•Also, there is a post office at New Mexico State University, 1600 International Mall, (575) 646-2019; and one in Mesilla, at 2253 Calle de Parian, (575) 524-1531.
•Altogether, there are 21 post offices in Do-a Ana County
•On average, the Las Cruces post office processes an average of 40,000 pieces of mail daily.
Source: U.S. Postal Service
Post offices in Do-a Ana County
Las Cruces main post office
201 E Las Cruces Ave.
(575) 524-2903
Open: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday
Services: Passport application; Post Office boxes online; Automated Postal Centers
Commerce Station
1180 Commerce Drive
(575) 521-4953
Open: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Services: Passport application services, Post Office boxes online
Business Products Center
840 El Paseo Road, Suite B
(575) 524-2866
Open: 8 a.m. Monday through Friday
University Park post office
1600 International Mall
(575) 646-2019
Open: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Mesilla
2253 Calle dde Parian
(575) 524-1531
Open: 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Fairacres
(575) 524-2195
Open: 7 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. Saturday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Mesilla Park
310 E Union Ave.
(575) 523-7088
Open: 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday
Services: Post Office boxes online
San Miguel
19003 State Highway 28
(575) 233-2141
Open: 8 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. Saturday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Mesquite
395 Highway 228
(575) 233-3501
Open: 8 a.m. until noon, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Do-a Ana
5480 Ledesma
(575) 523-4301
Open: 8 a.m. until noon, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Organ
15770 Padre La Rue St.
(575) 382-5949
Open: 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
Services: Post Office boxes online
La Mesa
16140 S Highway 28
(575) 233-3531
Open: 8 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Services: Post Office boxes online
White Sands Missile Range
153 Jollet
(575) 674-2257
Open: 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Chamberino
9620 State Highway 28 South
(575) 882-2296
Open: 8 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Anthony
1190 Anthony Drive
(575) 882-5259
Open: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday
Services: Passport application services, Post Office boxes online
Berino
4874 Highway 478
(575) 882-2626
Open: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Radium Springs
1145 Fort Selden Road
(575) 524-4378
Open: 8:30 a.m. to noon, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Rincon
2203 Rincon Road
(575) 267-5542
Open: 7:30 a.m. until noon, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Santa Teresa
1300 Country Club Road, Suite A
(575) 589-1508
Open: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. until noon Saturday
Services: Post Office boxes online
Hatch
107 Davis St.
(575) 267-4811
Open: 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Services: Passport application services, Post Office boxes online
Sunland Park
3500 McNutt Road
(575) 589-7548
Open: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until noon Saturday
Services: Passport application services, Post Office boxes online
Source: U.S. Postal Service
