HR0685LRB097 16033 GRL 61185 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The United States Postal Service (USPS) has
3announced plans to study the potential closure or conversion of
4post offices in the City of Springfield, including the Colonel
5John H. Wilson, Jr. (Springfield Main) post office located at
62105 East Cook Street in Springfield; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Springfield is the capital of the State of
8Illinois and the home of Abraham Lincoln, a former postmaster
9of New Salem from 1833 to 1836, and later the 16th President of
10the United States; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Colonel John H. Wilson, Jr. was a Springfield
12native who fought for the United States during World War I,
13earning the Silver Star for his gallantry; he worked for the
14USPS for 57 years and was the first black person to obtain the
15rank of Colonel in the United States Army Reserves; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The post offices in Springfield under
17consideration for closure serve a population of approximately
18150,000 residents; the main post office in Springfield is
19located is in an area which consists of more than 75% minority
20population and where the median annual household income is less
21than $16,000; and
 

 

 

HR0685- 2 -LRB097 16033 GRL 61185 r

1    WHEREAS, The USPS was established under the provisions of
2the United States Constitution, and is charged under the
3principles of universal service obligation to provide a range
4of products, access to services and facilities, delivery
5frequency, affordable and uniform pricing, service quality,
6and security of the mail; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Many residents of the affected neighborhoods do
8not have easy access to transportation and must rely upon
9postal service centers within walking distance or within close
10proximity to homes and businesses; and
 
11    WHEREAS, It is anticipated that if the Springfield
12Processing and Distribution Center is closed, the mail
13processing will be transferred to and consolidated with the St.
14Louis Processing and Distribution Center (St. Louis P&DC); and
 
15    WHEREAS, In the Audit Report of Postal Service Performance
16During the 2010 Fall Mailing Season, issued September 7, 2011,
17the St. Louis P & DC had the second highest percentage of
18delayed mail as a percent of first-handled pieces, which was
19caused from not adjusting mail flow, sort plans, and staffing
20timely to meet operational requirements and from not accurately
21identifying and reporting delayed mail; and
 
22    WHEREAS, The Audit Report noted that the service scores for

 

 

HR0685- 3 -LRB097 16033 GRL 61185 r

1the St. Louis P & DC generally lagged behind the national
2service scores; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The tourism industry, which is a substantial
4portion of the local economy, also contributes substantial
5demand for postal services, including the first day issuances
6of a number of commemorative items celebrating the home town of
7Abraham Lincoln; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The closure of the Springfield Post Office will
9have a dramatic negative impact on mail service throughout
10central Illinois, including the occurrence of substantial
11delays for mail service by using the St. Louis P & DC instead
12of the Springfield Post Office, the inability to obtain metered
13mail from the home town of Abraham Lincoln, and the additional
14expense incurred for local mail to be sent for processing to
15and from the St. Louis P & DC; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Closure of post offices in the City of Springfield
17will likely result in a loss of jobs in the inner-city at a
18time of economic recession that disproportionately affects the
19lives and livelihoods of inner-city residents; therefore, be it
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
21NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
22we urge the Postmaster General and the U.S. Postal Regulatory

 

 

HR0685- 4 -LRB097 16033 GRL 61185 r

1Commission to maintain full postal services in the City of
2Springfield that provide all residents with uniform access to
3affordable, secure and dependable mail delivery, postal boxes,
4and related services; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That we further urge the USPS to provide
6meaningful opportunities for public input in the process of
7studying potential closure or conversion of post offices in the
8City of Springfield, including the timely scheduling of public
9meetings accessible to all residents; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That any residents, business owners, and all
11others interested in maintaining and promoting access to
12affordable, dependable, and secure postal services in the City
13of Springfield are urged to express their concerns to the USPS
14by contacting the Postmaster General, the U.S. Postal
15Regulatory Commission, and the Springfield Postmaster and to
16attend and participate in public meetings on these matters; and
17be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
19delivered to the members of the Illinois congressional
20delegation, the United States Postmaster General, the United
21States Postal Regulatory Commission, and the Springfield
22Postmaster.