Postal Service Schedules Meeting On Waite Park Facility

WAITE PARK - The United States Postal Service has scheduled a meeting in St. Cloud on the planned closing of the Waite Park Distribution Center.

The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 22nd at the Holiday Inn.

The Postal Service says, because of the decline in the volume of mail they handle, they have an excess of employees and equipment in some mail processing operations.

They've been studying the Waite Park operation since September, and are considering consolidating the operation with the facility in Minneapolis.  The Post Office says by closing the Waite Park facility, they would save over $5.4 million a year.  They would have a net decrease in employees of 69 positions.  There are about 145 people that work there right now.

A final decision on the closing is expected to come next month, and it could be closed for good by April.

Facilities in Bemidji, Duluth and Rochester have also been earmarked for closure.