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The fate of the Marysville area mail sorting facility which serves Nevada County will be revealed on Dec. 15, when the U.S. Postal Service hosts a meeting at which observers expect postal officials to announce the facility will be closed.
In November, Postal Workers Union Local 211 President Rick Page told The Union he feared the closure would slow mail service all over Northeastern California and Nevada County, because sorting would be shipped to a Sacramento facility.
Yuba County supervisors, in voting unanimously this week for a resolution opposing the move, said they will push for a strong show of support to keep the facility open at both the Dec. 15 meeting in Marysville and a planned drive-through protest two days prior to that in Linda.
“We can't afford as a county to lose 170 jobs and go back to the days where it took five days for a letter to get from Marysville to Yuba City," said Supervisor Andy Vasquez, who organized the protest with the postal workers union that represents facility workers.
Postal officials announced earlier this year they were studying whether the Olivehurst facility's operations should be consolidated with the facility in West Sacramento. A decline in mail volume attributed to the recession forced the Postal Service to consider the idea.
Page said from January 2006 to Jan. 2008, the Postal Service bypassed the facility in Olivehurst for outgoing mail. That mail went to Sacramento, and long delivery delays followed, he said.
U.S. Postal Service spokesman Gus Ruiz said the Sacramento plant did not have the equipment it now has to handle the past flow. He added that the Postal Service felt it needed to utilize the new equipment for better efficiencies.
Page countered that the Postal Service made a large and unneeded equipment outlay in Sacramento is not being justified.
Page told the Yuba County supervisors this week that the Postal Service will take notice if there is a strong show of support from residents and community leaders at the Dec. 15 meeting.
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Friday Night Live Youth Center, 201 Fourth St., third floor, Marysville.
“It's convenient they scheduled the meeting on a night when many community groups and elected boards are meeting," Page said. "This is a finality. If they close the facility, we'll lose those jobs forever."
Though both Yuba County supervisors and Marysville City Council members appear to be free that night, board chairman John Nicoletti said he would urge the Postal Service to consider moving the meeting to a different night to allow more people to attend.
Vasquez pointed out that delays would directly affect Yuba county in the case of absentee ballots. "That's a huge thing," he said.
The 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 13 protest at Peach Tree Mall in Linda will allow residents to drive up and sign a letter of protest.
“We hope to get the bridges crowded on both sides," he said.
Ben van der Meer is a reporter for the Marysville Appeal-Democrat.
Dave Moller is the Senior Staff Writer for The Union.
In November, Postal Workers Union Local 211 President Rick Page told The Union he feared the closure would slow mail service all over Northeastern California and Nevada County, because sorting would be shipped to a Sacramento facility.
Yuba County supervisors, in voting unanimously this week for a resolution opposing the move, said they will push for a strong show of support to keep the facility open at both the Dec. 15 meeting in Marysville and a planned drive-through protest two days prior to that in Linda.
“We can't afford as a county to lose 170 jobs and go back to the days where it took five days for a letter to get from Marysville to Yuba City," said Supervisor Andy Vasquez, who organized the protest with the postal workers union that represents facility workers.
Postal officials announced earlier this year they were studying whether the Olivehurst facility's operations should be consolidated with the facility in West Sacramento. A decline in mail volume attributed to the recession forced the Postal Service to consider the idea.
Page said from January 2006 to Jan. 2008, the Postal Service bypassed the facility in Olivehurst for outgoing mail. That mail went to Sacramento, and long delivery delays followed, he said.
U.S. Postal Service spokesman Gus Ruiz said the Sacramento plant did not have the equipment it now has to handle the past flow. He added that the Postal Service felt it needed to utilize the new equipment for better efficiencies.
Page countered that the Postal Service made a large and unneeded equipment outlay in Sacramento is not being justified.
Page told the Yuba County supervisors this week that the Postal Service will take notice if there is a strong show of support from residents and community leaders at the Dec. 15 meeting.
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Friday Night Live Youth Center, 201 Fourth St., third floor, Marysville.
“It's convenient they scheduled the meeting on a night when many community groups and elected boards are meeting," Page said. "This is a finality. If they close the facility, we'll lose those jobs forever."
Though both Yuba County supervisors and Marysville City Council members appear to be free that night, board chairman John Nicoletti said he would urge the Postal Service to consider moving the meeting to a different night to allow more people to attend.
Vasquez pointed out that delays would directly affect Yuba county in the case of absentee ballots. "That's a huge thing," he said.
The 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 13 protest at Peach Tree Mall in Linda will allow residents to drive up and sign a letter of protest.
“We hope to get the bridges crowded on both sides," he said.
Ben van der Meer is a reporter for the Marysville Appeal-Democrat.
Dave Moller is the Senior Staff Writer for The Union.
