Postal disservice

The Postal Service blindsided Northern New Yorkers Tuesday with its decision to move all of its mail processing and distribution operations from Watertown to Syracuse by October.

It is a much more extensive shift than the Postal Service had led residents and employees to expect when they first announced plans in May to consolidate Watertown operations with the Syracuse processing center. Then only nine workers might have been affected with reassignment.

Now 50 jobs will be lost at the Commerce Park Drive facility. Thirteen employees may find work in Syracuse, if they choose to relocate or travel the 60-plus miles up and down Interstate 81 every day. The future is more uncertain for another 37 career employees left without jobs here.

Postal officials have not said what they will do with most of the space that will be left vacant in the 83,000-square-foot facility, although it could be rented out to other businesses. It's possible they could abandon the site and building that cost $6.3 million when it opened in 1991.

After relocation plans were first announced in May, the Postal Service conducted the requisite public hearing seeking input on its proposal to save $1.1 million annually. Along with the loss of nine jobs, the primary concern was that shifting mail processing to Syracuse would jeopardize next-day delivery when mail throughout the 136 service area is sent to Syracuse for processing first and then trucked back as far north as Massena, particularly in the wintertime.

The overnight service standard for Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties may well slip to two-day delivery.

It would have come as no surprise if the Postal Service had gone ahead with its partial relocation. Instead, the Postal Service substituted an entirely new proposal without notifying the public or employees of its more sweeping plan to move all mail processing and distribution to Syracuse. The secrecy muted any possible opposition. In this way, the Postal Service avoided having to defend its decision to upset customers.

Postal officials have insisted there will be no change in service. "If service would change, we wouldn't do it," said spokeswoman Maureen P. Marion.

Northern New Yorkers will be watching their mailboxes and hoping she is right.