The Kent Delivery and Distribution Center for the U.S. Postal Service will stay open at least until May 15.
Postal Service officials announced Tuesday in a media release that in response to a request made by multiple U.S. senators, the service has agreed to delay the closing or consolidation of any Post Office or mail processing facility until May 15, 2012. The Postal Service will continue all necessary steps required for the review of these facilities during the interim period, including public input meetings.
Last week, the Postal Service had indicated facilities might close as soon as April. Now there is a bit more time before many employees might lose their jobs and services are reduced to customers.
“The Postal Service hopes this period will help facilitate the enactment of comprehensive postal legislation,” according to the release. “Given the Postal Service’s financial situation and the loss of mail volume, the Postal Service must continue to take all steps necessary to reduce costs and increase revenue.”
Postal Service officials said they need to reduce operating costs by $20 billion by 2015 in order to return to profitability.
On Sept. 15, the Postal Service announced it would begin studying 252 out of 487 mail processing facilities for possible closure. That list of 252 includes the Kent facility as well as centers in Everett, Olympia, Pasco, Redmond, Fife and Tacoma.
The 112 employees in Kent help sort mail for distribution to post offices in the South King County area, Swanson said. The Kent facility is along 64th Avenue South, just south of West Meeker Street.
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